LTT vs SDLT 2026: Wales vs England Compared
Wales charges Land Transaction Tax (LTT) collected by the Welsh Revenue Authority. England and Northern Ireland charge SDLT collected by HMRC. The headline difference: Wales has a £225,000 nil-rate band but no specific first-time buyer relief. The Wales higher-rates structure was reformed in December 2024 with its own banded schedule.
Bands side-by-side (standard buyer)
| England + NI (SDLT) | SDLT rate | Wales (LTT) | LTT rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| £0 to £125,000 | 0% | £0 to £225,000 | 0% |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | 2% | £225,001 to £400,000 | 6% |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | 5% | £400,001 to £750,000 | 7.5% |
| £925,001 to £1,500,000 | 10% | £750,001 to £1,500,000 | 10% |
| Above £1,500,000 | 12% | Above £1,500,000 | 12% |
Wales's nil-rate band is £100,000 wider than England's. But Wales's first taxable rate (6%) is three times higher than England's (2%), so the gap closes quickly above £225,000.
Worked examples (standard buyer)
| Price | England SDLT | Wales LTT | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| £150,000 | £500 | £0 | Wales -£500 |
| £200,000 | £1,500 | £0 | Wales -£1,500 |
| £250,000 | £2,500 | £1,500 | Wales -£1,000 |
| £300,000 | £5,000 | £4,500 | Wales -£500 |
| £400,000 | £10,000 | £10,500 | Wales +£500 |
| £500,000 | £15,000 | £18,000 | Wales +£3,000 |
| £750,000 | £27,500 | £36,750 | Wales +£9,250 |
| £1,000,000 | £43,750 | £61,750 | Wales +£18,000 |
Wales is cheaper below ~£395,000 (because of the £225,000 nil-rate). Around £395,000-£405,000 the figures cross over. Above this, Wales is increasingly more expensive because LTT's middle bands sit at higher rates than SDLT's.
Wales higher rates (December 2024 reform)
For additional residential property, Wales does not apply a flat surcharge on top of its standard bands. It has its own marginal banded higher-rate schedule, reformed on 11 December 2024 to add new bands at the lower end.
| LTT higher-rate band | Rate |
|---|---|
| £0 to £180,000 | 5% |
| £180,001 to £250,000 | 8.5% |
| £250,001 to £400,000 | 10% |
| £400,001 to £750,000 | 12.5% |
| £750,001 to £1,500,000 | 15% |
| Above £1,500,000 | 17% |
The December 2024 reform raised the headline higher rates at every band and tightened the lower-end thresholds. At £300,000, an additional-property buyer in Wales pays £19,950 in 2026 vs £19,200 under the pre-December-2024 rates. The reform was announced in the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 and took effect immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is stamp duty cheaper in Wales than England?
Below ~£395,000, Wales is cheaper because of the £225,000 nil-rate band. Around £395,000-£405,000 the figures cross over. Above this, Wales is increasingly more expensive because LTT's middle bands (6% and 7.5%) sit higher than SDLT's equivalents (2% and 5%).
For first-time buyers, England's FTB relief makes England cheaper at almost every price up to the £500,000 cliff (Wales has no FTB relief).
Does Wales have first-time buyer relief?
No. Wales LTT does not offer a specific first-time buyer relief. The £225,000 nil-rate band applies to all buyers. For an FTB buying under £225,000 in Wales the lack of FTB relief is irrelevant (LTT is £0). Above £225,000 a Welsh FTB pays the same as a standard buyer in Wales, whereas an English FTB up to £500,000 benefits from the £300,000 FTB nil-rate.