How stamp duty works in the UK
Stamp duty is the tax you pay when you buy a property or land. It is charged in slices, not as a single flat rate: your price is split across a set of bands, and each slice is taxed at that band's rate. So on a £300,000 home in England you pay nothing on the first £125,000, 2% on the next £125,000, and 5% on the final £50,000, which comes to £5,000. This calculator applies the current band table for your nation and buyer type, then shows the working band by band.
Four nations, three different taxes
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) applies in England and Northern Ireland only. Scotland charges its own Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT), and Wales charges Land Transaction Tax (LTT). Each has its own bands and thresholds, so the same £400,000 home attracts different tax in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Manchester. The nil-rate band where no tax is due is £125,000 in England and Northern Ireland, £145,000 in Scotland, and £225,000 in Wales. Pick your nation above and the calculator switches to the right tax automatically.
First-time buyer relief
First-time buyers get the biggest break. In England and Northern Ireland you pay no SDLT up to £300,000, then 5% on the portion up to £500,000. Above £500,000 the relief is lost and standard rates apply to the whole price. Scotland lifts the nil-rate band to £175,000 for first-time buyers, worth up to £600. Wales has no first-time buyer relief, but its £225,000 nil-rate band already covers many first homes. To count as a first-time buyer, you and anyone buying with you must never have owned a home anywhere in the world.
Second homes and buy-to-let
Buy an additional property and you pay a surcharge on top of the normal rates. In England and Northern Ireland it is a 5% surcharge on every band, in place since 31 October 2024. In Scotland the Additional Dwelling Supplement is 8% of the whole price, from 5 December 2024. Wales applies its own higher LTT rates, increased from 11 December 2024. The surcharge does not apply below £40,000. If you are replacing your main residence you avoid the surcharge, and if you buy the new home before selling the old one you can reclaim it once the previous home is sold within the time limit.
Frequently asked questions
How much is stamp duty on a £300,000 house?
In England and Northern Ireland a home mover pays £5,000 of SDLT on a £300,000 home: nothing on the first £125,000, 2% on the next £125,000, and 5% on the final £50,000. A first-time buyer pays nothing at £300,000, since first-time buyer relief covers the whole price. A second home or buy-to-let attracts the 5% higher rate, which is £20,000. Enter your price and buyer type above for the exact figure.
Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty in 2026?
In England and Northern Ireland, first-time buyers pay no SDLT up to £300,000, then 5% on the portion from £300,001 to £500,000. Above £500,000 the relief is lost and standard rates apply to the whole price. Scotland gives first-time buyers a nil-rate band up to £175,000, saving up to £600. Wales has no first-time buyer relief, but charges no LTT up to £225,000, which already covers many first homes.
What is happening with stamp duty in 2026?
The temporary thresholds that ran until 31 March 2025 have ended. From 1 April 2025 the standard SDLT nil-rate band returned to £125,000 and the first-time buyer threshold returned to £300,000, with relief lost above £500,000. Scotland's Additional Dwelling Supplement rose to 8% from 5 December 2024, and Wales increased its higher LTT rates from 11 December 2024. This calculator uses the current 2026 figures.
How much is stamp duty on a second home or buy-to-let?
A second home or buy-to-let carries an extra charge on top of the normal rates. In England and Northern Ireland it is a 5% surcharge on every band, added since 31 October 2024. In Scotland the Additional Dwelling Supplement is 8% of the whole price. In Wales the higher LTT rates apply. The surcharge does not apply below £40,000. Choose 'Second home' above to see the full figure.
How do you calculate stamp duty?
Stamp duty is charged in slices, not as one flat rate. Your price is split across the bands, and each slice is taxed at that band's rate, so only the part of the price inside a higher band is taxed at the higher rate. This calculator applies the current band table for your nation and buyer type, then adds any second-home surcharge, and shows the working band by band.
Do I pay stamp duty in Scotland or Wales?
Not SDLT. Stamp Duty Land Tax applies in England and Northern Ireland only. Scotland charges Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Wales charges Land Transaction Tax (LTT). These are separate taxes with their own bands, thresholds and surcharges. Pick your nation above and the calculator uses the right tax and rates.
How can I reduce stamp duty legally?
The genuine reductions are the reliefs written into the law: first-time buyer relief in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, and the nil-rate bands each nation sets. Buying below a nil-rate threshold, or as a first-time buyer within the relief cap, is where the real saving sits. If you replace your main residence you avoid the second-home surcharge, and you can reclaim it if you sell your previous main home within the time limit. Check the position with your solicitor.
This tool is a guide, not financial advice. Stamp duty rates, thresholds and reliefs change and can turn on details this calculator does not capture, such as shared ownership, mixed-use property or non-UK residence. Confirm the exact figure with your solicitor or HMRC before you buy.
