Stamp Duty Calculator 2026

First-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland pay no stamp duty on properties up to £300,000. On properties between £300,001 and £500,000, they pay 5% on the portion above £300,000 only.

If the property costs more than £500,000, first-time buyer relief does not apply and standard SDLT rates are used instead.

Example: FTB buying at £350,000 pays 5% on £50,000 = £2,500 stamp duty.

The most recent change took effect on 1 April 2025, when temporary reliefs introduced in September 2022 expired. Key changes:

• Standard nil-rate threshold dropped from £250,000 back to £125,000
• First-time buyer nil-rate threshold dropped from £425,000 to £300,000
• Maximum price for FTB relief reduced from £625,000 to £500,000

No further changes have been announced for 2026.

If you're buying a property and you'll own more than one residential property, you pay a 5% surcharge on top of standard SDLT rates. This applies from the first pound — there's no nil-rate band for additional properties.

This surcharge was increased from 3% to 5% in October 2024. It applies to second homes, buy-to-let properties, and holiday homes.

If you're replacing your main residence and sell your previous home within 36 months, you can reclaim the surcharge.

You must pay stamp duty and file an SDLT return within 14 days of completion — the date you legally become the owner. Your solicitor or conveyancer typically handles this on your behalf as part of the conveyancing process.

Late filing results in automatic penalties from HMRC, plus interest on any unpaid tax. Your solicitor should make this clear well before completion day.

No. Scotland uses Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT), administered by Revenue Scotland. Wales uses Land Transaction Tax (LTT), administered by the Welsh Revenue Authority. Both have different thresholds and rates to SDLT.

This calculator covers England and Northern Ireland only (SDLT).