Stamp Duty Calculator 2026

A standard buyer pays £5,000 stamp duty on a £300,000 property in England or Northern Ireland. The calculation uses 2026 rates: 0% on the first £125,000 (£0), 2% on £125,001-£250,000 (£2,500), and 5% on £250,001-£300,000 (£2,500). Total: £5,000.

A first-time buyer pays nothing. Under first-time buyer relief, the nil-rate band extends to £300,000, so the entire £300,000 is taxed at 0%. This saves £5,000 compared to a standard buyer.

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, you pay 5% only on the amount above £300,000. This saves up to £5,000 compared to a standard buyer.

If the property costs more than £500,000, first-time buyer relief does not apply at all, and standard rates apply to the full purchase price. All buyers on a joint purchase must be first-time buyers for the relief to apply.

When you buy a second home, holiday let, or buy-to-let property, you pay an extra 5% on top of standard stamp duty rates on every band. This applies from the first pound paid. The surcharge increased from 3% to 5% in October 2024.

For example, a £300,000 second home costs £20,000 in stamp duty (standard £5,000 plus 5% surcharge of £15,000), compared to just £5,000 for a standard buyer. If you sell your previous main residence within 3 years of buying the new property, you can apply to HMRC for a refund of the surcharge.

The nil-rate band for standard buyers reverted from £250,000 to £125,000 on 1 April 2025. This temporary increase had been in place since September 2022. At the same time, first-time buyer relief changed: the nil-rate threshold dropped from £425,000 to £300,000, and the maximum property price for relief fell from £625,000 to £500,000.

A separate change occurred in October 2024, when the additional property surcharge increased from 3% to 5%. This affects all second home and buy-to-let purchases. Both changes mean that many buyers are now paying significantly more stamp duty than they did in 2023 or 2024.

You must pay stamp duty within 14 days of the completion date. Your solicitor or conveyancer handles the payment to HMRC on your behalf and will collect the funds from you before or on completion day. The 14-day deadline includes weekends and bank holidays.

If payment is late, HMRC charges a £100 penalty within 3 months, rising to £200 between 3-6 months, plus additional penalties and daily interest thereafter. Always ensure your solicitor has the stamp duty funds well before completion.

No. Scotland charges Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) with its own bands: 0% up to £145,000, 2% to £250,000, 5% to £325,000, 10% to £750,000, and 12% above. Scotland also has an Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) of 8% charged on the full purchase price (not marginal). The ADS is particularly punishing compared to England for additional properties.

Wales charges Land Transaction Tax (LTT) with a nil-rate band of £225,000 (higher than England's £125,000). Wales does not offer a specific first-time buyer relief, but the higher nil-rate band partially offsets this. The additional property rates in Wales changed significantly in December 2024 with a new banded structure.

Most mortgage lenders do not allow you to borrow specifically to cover stamp duty. However, some lenders may let you borrow slightly more than the property purchase price to cover all buying costs, depending on your loan-to-value ratio and income. This approach increases your monthly repayments and the total interest you pay.

In practice, most buyers fund stamp duty from savings alongside their deposit. This is why it is important to factor in stamp duty costs early in your property search. Use our calculator above to understand your stamp duty liability before making an offer.

Yes. Non-UK residents buying residential property in England or Northern Ireland pay an extra 2% on top of all applicable rates. If you are also buying an additional property, both the 5% surcharge and the 2% non-resident surcharge apply, giving a combined extra charge of 7% on every band.

You are considered non-resident if you were not present in the UK for at least 183 days in the 12 months before your purchase. If you become UK-resident within 2 years of purchase (183 days in any 365-day period), you can apply to HMRC to reclaim the 2% surcharge.