How Much Is Stamp Duty in the UK? (2024 Rates & Calculator)
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Open the Mortgage Calculator →2024 Standard SDLT Rates (England & Northern Ireland)
| Property Price Band | Standard Rate | First-Time Buyer Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £250,000 | 0% | 0% |
| £250,001–£425,000 | 5% | 0% |
| £425,001–£625,000 | 5% | 5% |
| £625,001–£925,000 | 5% | Standard rates apply |
| £925,001–£1,500,000 | 10% | Standard rates apply |
| Over £1,500,000 | 12% | Standard rates apply |
Worked Example: £350,000 Purchase
| Band | Standard buyer | First-time buyer |
|---|---|---|
| 0% on first £250,000 | £0 | £0 |
| 5% on £250,001–£350,000 (£100,000) | £5,000 | £0 (relief applies) |
| Total SDLT | £5,000 | £0 |
Second Home / Buy-to-Let Surcharge
If you're buying an additional property (second home, buy-to-let), add 3% to each band. On a £300,000 second property: standard SDLT = £2,500. With 3% surcharge: £11,500 total.
Scotland and Wales
- Scotland: Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT). 0% up to £145,000; 2% from £145,001–£250,000; 5% from £250,001–£325,000; 10% from £325,001–£750,000; 12% above £750,000. First-time buyer relief: 0% up to £175,000.
- Wales: Land Transaction Tax (LTT). 0% up to £225,000; 6% from £225,001–£400,000; 7.5% from £400,001–£750,000.
When Is Stamp Duty Paid?
SDLT must be paid within 14 days of completion. Your solicitor or conveyancer handles the submission and payment — they'll add it to the completion statement alongside their own fees.
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Open Mortgage Calculator →The 2025 Threshold Cliff — What Actually Changed
From 1 April 2025 the SDLT nil-rate band for standard buyers reverted from £250,000 back to £125,000, and first-time buyer relief shrank from £425,000 back to £300,000 (per HMRC SDLT manual updates). A non-first-time buyer purchasing a £300,000 home post-April 2025 now pays 2% on £125,001–£250,000 (£2,500) plus 5% on £250,001–£300,000 (£2,500) — a total of £5,000, where the same buyer paid £2,500 in early 2024 and £0 during the temporary cut.
For first-time buyers, the change is sharper. A £425,000 purchase that incurred £0 SDLT pre-April 2025 now costs £6,250 (5% on £300,001–£425,000). The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts SDLT receipts to rise by about £1.6 billion annually from 2025–26 as a result. Buyers in the £300,000–£500,000 band saw the most material change in upfront cash needed at completion.
Worked Examples: Five Common Purchase Prices
| Property Price | FTB SDLT (post-April 2025) | Standard buyer SDLT | Second home / BTL (+3%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| £250,000 | £0 | £2,500 | £10,000 |
| £350,000 | £2,500 | £7,500 | £18,000 |
| £450,000 | £11,250 (standard rates apply over £500k) | £12,500 | £26,000 |
| £600,000 | £20,000 | £20,000 | £38,000 |
| £800,000 | £30,000 | £30,000 | £54,000 |
Common Mistakes With Stamp Duty
- Forgetting the cash on completion. SDLT is paid by your solicitor on completion day, not added to the mortgage. A £15,000 bill must be in your solicitor's client account before keys change hands.
- Missing the first-time buyer definition. HMRC requires that neither party has ever owned a residential property anywhere in the world. A partner who inherited a flat in 2010 disqualifies the whole transaction from FTB relief.
- Counting on the 36-month replacement rule. If you buy before selling your previous main home, you pay the 3% surcharge upfront. You can reclaim it if you sell the old home within 36 months — but the cash sits with HMRC until then.
- Ignoring mixed-use rates. Properties with both residential and commercial use (e.g. a flat above a shop) attract non-residential SDLT rates, which start at 0% to £150,000 and cap at 5%. Often cheaper than residential.
- Forgetting Scotland and Wales operate separately. LBTT and LTT have different thresholds and reliefs. A move from Edinburgh to Manchester involves two completely different tax regimes.
Regional Differences: England/NI vs Scotland vs Wales
England and Northern Ireland. Standard SDLT under HMRC. Post-April 2025: 0% to £125,000, then 2% to £250,000, 5% to £925,000, 10% to £1.5m, 12% above. First-time buyer relief: 0% up to £300,000, 5% on £300,001–£500,000. No relief above £500,000.
Scotland. Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) administered by Revenue Scotland. Nil-rate band up to £145,000 for standard buyers (£175,000 for first-time buyers), then 2% to £250,000, 5% to £325,000, 10% to £750,000, 12% above. The Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) for second homes rose to 8% in April 2024 — higher than England's 3% surcharge.
Wales. Land Transaction Tax (LTT) administered by the Welsh Revenue Authority. Nil-rate band up to £225,000 for residential property. There is no first-time buyer relief in Wales — Welsh LTT raised the standard threshold to £225,000 in lieu of a separate FTB band. Higher-rate (second home) surcharge is 4% on each band.
How to Reduce Your Stamp Duty Legally
- Buy through the first-time buyer scheme. If genuinely a first-time buyer, save £6,250 on a £425,000 purchase.
- Negotiate price to the next band threshold. A £255,000 home reduced to £250,000 saves £250 in tax — minor, but free money in the gap.
- Exclude fixtures and fittings. Genuine moveable contents (curtains, white goods, free-standing furniture) can be apportioned out of the chargeable consideration. HMRC requires reasonable valuation — typically 1–3% of price.
- Multiple Dwellings Relief. If buying two or more dwellings in one transaction (e.g. main house plus annexe), MDR can lower the effective rate. Subject to a 3-year clawback if conditions aren't met.
- Mixed-use designation. A property with a genuine commercial element (working shop, holiday let, working farm) may qualify for non-residential rates. Don't try to retrofit the designation; HMRC has caught hundreds of speculative claims.
Worked Example: First-Time Buyer at £380,000
A first-time buyer purchasing a £380,000 house in Manchester post-April 2025. SDLT calculation: 0% on the first £300,000 = £0, then 5% on £80,000 (the portion between £300,001 and £380,000) = £4,000. Total SDLT due at completion: £4,000.
Now compare to the same buyer in 2024 under the temporary cut: SDLT would have been £0 (relief covered the full price up to £425,000). The April 2025 reversion cost this buyer £4,000 in immediate cash. On top of that, conveyancing typically runs £1,200–£2,000, search fees £300–£500, mortgage arrangement fees £999–£1,499 if added to the loan or paid upfront, and an electronic transfer fee around £30. Total completion-day cash above the deposit: around £7,500. Many first-time buyers see the headline SDLT figure and forget the surrounding costs that the solicitor still needs in their client account before completion.
Actionable Next Steps
- Open the UK Stamp Duty Calculator with your exact purchase price.
- Confirm whether your transaction qualifies for first-time buyer relief — both parties on the title must qualify.
- If buying a second home or buy-to-let, add the 3% (England/NI) or 8% (Scotland ADS) surcharge.
- Ensure your solicitor has the cash for SDLT plus their fees on completion day, not the day before.
- If you're replacing a main home but completing before sale, budget the surcharge and remember to file the reclaim within 36 months.
- Build a separate cash buffer of £2,000–£5,000 for the surrounding costs that aren't SDLT — searches, surveys, conveyancing, mortgage fees.
FAQ
Can stamp duty be added to my mortgage? Some lenders permit it via a higher loan-to-value, but most prefer SDLT to be paid from independent cash. Adding £15,000 of SDLT to a £400,000 mortgage at 5% costs roughly £88/month over a 25-year term, plus the extra interest erodes equity for years.
What counts as a "first-time buyer" for SDLT? Neither party on the title has ever owned a residential property anywhere in the world — including inherited shares, properties owned with a previous partner, or holiday homes abroad. HMRC takes a strict view. If unsure, the SDLT manual at gov.uk has detailed guidance.
Does SDLT apply if I'm gifting a property? SDLT applies on "chargeable consideration," which includes mortgage debt taken on by the recipient. A gift with no mortgage attached has no SDLT, but if the recipient takes over an existing mortgage of £150,000, SDLT is calculated on £150,000.
How is SDLT handled for leasehold purchases? Leasehold property attracts SDLT on the premium (purchase price) under standard rates, plus an additional charge on the net present value of rent if the lease exceeds 7 years and rent exceeds the nil-rate band. Most short residential leases pay only premium SDLT.
Sources and Methodology
SDLT rates, thresholds, and relief rules come from HMRC's Stamp Duty Land Tax manual and gov.uk current rates published by HMRC. Scottish LBTT rules from Revenue Scotland, Welsh LTT rules from the Welsh Revenue Authority. Receipts forecasts cite Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) Economic and Fiscal Outlook. Worked examples follow published HMRC SDLT calculator outputs to the nearest pound.