Stamp Duty Calculator

How Stamp Duty is calculated

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a tiered tax on property purchases in England and Northern Ireland. Unlike income tax, the rates apply only to the portion of the price within each band, not to the whole price. A £350,000 purchase in 2026/27 pays 0% on the first £250,000 and 5% on the remaining £100,000, giving a total of £5,000, not 5% of £350,000.

First-time buyer relief

First-time buyers pay no SDLT on the first £425,000 and 5% on the portion from £425,001 to £625,000. Above £625,000 the standard rates apply in full (the relief is withdrawn entirely). This makes the relief worth up to £8,750, but only if the purchase price is £625,000 or below.

Additional dwelling surcharge

Buying a second home or a buy-to-let property adds a 5% surcharge to every band (raised from 3% in October 2024). On a £300,000 second property this adds £15,000 to the bill. The surcharge can be reclaimed if you sell your previous main residence within three years of buying the new one.

Scotland and Wales

Scotland charges Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Wales charges Land Transaction Tax (LTT), both have different rates and thresholds from SDLT. This calculator covers England and Northern Ireland only.

2026/27 SDLT rates at a glance

The rates below apply to residential property purchases in England and Northern Ireland from 1 April 2025, when the temporary higher nil-rate thresholds introduced in September 2022 reverted to their permanent levels.

First-time buyer relief only applies where the purchase price is £500,000 or less. Additional property surcharge (5%) applies to second homes, buy-to-let and company purchases.

When and how SDLT is paid

SDLT must be paid within 14 days of the completion date. In practice your solicitor or conveyancer handles submission and payment, they will collect the SDLT from you before or on completion day and submit the return to HMRC electronically. You cannot complete a purchase without first paying any SDLT owed.

If you are completing on a new-build, SDLT is still due on the full purchase price even though you may not physically move in for weeks. Factor this into your completion-day funds, you need the SDLT available on the day, not at a later date.

Exemptions and reliefs

• Transfers between spouses and civil partners, No SDLT applies on property transfers between spouses or civil partners living together, including as part of divorce or separation settlements.
• Inherited property, Property received through inheritance does not trigger SDLT, though it may be relevant for inheritance tax.
• Equity transfers (shared ownership), When buying additional shares in a shared ownership property (staircasing), SDLT is due either on each tranche as it is purchased, or you can elect to pay all the SDLT upfront on the market value of the full property. The upfront election is usually better if you plan to staircase to 100%.
• Charities, Purchases by charities for charitable purposes are exempt from SDLT, provided conditions are met.
• Reclaiming the additional dwelling surcharge, If you buy a new main residence before selling your old one you pay the 5% surcharge upfront, but can reclaim it if you sell the previous main residence within three years.

SDLT planning considerations

For most buyers SDLT is simply a cost to factor into the budget. However, there are a few scenarios where timing or structure can make a meaningful difference:

• Buying just below a threshold, The difference between a £250,000 and £250,001 purchase is the difference between £0 and £1 in SDLT for standard buyers, but the impact of crossing the £925,000 threshold (where 10% kicks in on the excess) is more significant. Negotiating a price just below a threshold saves real money.
• First-time buyer relief on joint purchases, Both buyers must be first-time buyers to qualify. If one buyer has previously owned a property, the relief is lost entirely, even if their share is small.
• Fixtures and fittings, Allocating a reasonable value to moveable fixtures (carpets, curtains, white goods) in the contract reduces the price of the property and therefore the SDLT. HMRC scrutinises inflated apportionments, but genuine market-value allocations are permitted.