Stamp Duty Calculator UK
Work out the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on a property purchase in England and Northern Ireland — including first-time buyer relief and the additional-property surcharge.
Stamp Duty Land Tax is a one-off tax you pay when you buy a property or land above a threshold in England and Northern Ireland. It’s charged in bands, like income tax — you pay nothing on the first slice of the price, then a rising percentage on each band above it, so the rate climbs with the property value. The catch most buyers miss is that the bill depends entirely on which of three regimes applies to you: a standard buyer, a first-time buyer (who pays less or nothing up to a cap), or someone buying an additional property such as a buy-to-let or second home (who pays a surcharge on top). The same £300,000 house can mean a tax bill of £0, £5,000, or £20,000 depending purely on which buyer you are. This calculator works out yours, and budgeting for it matters — it’s payable in cash at completion, on top of your deposit. To work out the mortgage itself, use the Mortgage Calculator.
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Estimated Stamp Duty
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Tax system
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Effective tax rate
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Main-rate tax
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Surcharge / relief impact
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Total purchase cost
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Buyer type
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Stamp duty by property price — quick lookup
The left table shows the SDLT bill at common price points for each of the three buyer types, using current SDLT bands for England and Northern Ireland. The right table shows the band structure itself. Find your price and your buyer type to read off the bill — the calculator above gives the exact figure for any price.
| Price | Standard | First-time | + Property |
|---|---|---|---|
| £150k | £500 | £0 | £8,000 |
| £200k | £1,500 | £0 | £11,500 |
| £250k | £2,500 | £0 | £15,000 |
| £300k | £5,000 | £0 | £20,000 |
| £350k | £7,500 | £2,500 | £25,000 |
| £400k | £10,000 | £5,000 | £30,000 |
| £500k | £15,000 | £10,000 | £40,000 |
| £600k | £20,000 | £20,000 | £50,000 |
| £750k | £27,500 | £27,500 | £65,000 |
| £1m | £43,750 | £43,750 | £93,750 |
| Price band | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £125k | 0% |
| £125k–£250k | 2% |
| £250k–£925k | 5% |
| £925k–£1.5m | 10% |
| Above £1.5m | 12% |
The headline message from the left table: at £300,000, a first-time buyer pays £0, a standard mover pays £5,000, and a buy-to-let investor pays £20,000 — for the identical house. Stamp duty isn’t a property tax so much as a buyer tax. Note too that first-time buyer relief disappears entirely above its cap, which is why the first-time and standard columns converge at £600,000 and above.
How stamp duty works
SDLT is a banded, or “slice”, tax — exactly like income tax. You don’t pay one rate on the whole price; you pay each band’s rate only on the portion of the price that falls inside that band. A common myth is that crossing a threshold taxes your entire purchase at the higher rate. It doesn’t. Only the slice above the threshold is taxed at the higher rate, so there’s no cliff-edge where buying £1 more costs thousands.
The slice method, worked through
Take a standard buyer purchasing at £350,000. The price is split across the bands and each slice taxed at its own rate:
Notice the effective rate (2.14%) is far below the top band rate (5%) the buyer touched. That gap is the slice method at work — the lower bands keep pulling the average down. It’s why effective SDLT rates stay modest until you reach genuinely expensive property: a £250,000 purchase is taxed at 1.0% effective, £500,000 at 3.0%, and £750,000 at 3.67%, even though all three reach the 5% band.
First-time buyer relief
First-time buyers get a more generous set of bands — paying nothing on a larger first slice, then a reduced rate up to a cap. Above that cap, the relief vanishes completely and the standard bands apply to the whole price, with no partial benefit. This creates the convergence you see in the lookup table: below the cap, first-time buyers can pay dramatically less (often nothing); above it, they pay exactly the same as everyone else. To qualify, every buyer on the purchase must be a genuine first-time buyer — buying with anyone who has owned property before, anywhere in the world, disqualifies the whole purchase from the relief.
The additional-property surcharge
If you’re buying a property when you already own another — a buy-to-let, a second home, or a holiday let — a surcharge applies on top of the standard rates, across every band. This is why the additional-property column in the lookup table is so much higher: the surcharge stacks on the whole price, not just the portion above a threshold. It even applies to the first slice that would otherwise be tax-free. The surcharge is the single biggest cost difference between buying a home to live in and buying one to let, and it has reshaped the economics of small-scale UK landlording. There’s an important exception: if you’re replacing your main residence (selling one home and buying another), the surcharge doesn’t apply even though you briefly own two — and if you pay it because the sale completes late, you can usually reclaim it. HMRC sets out the rules and reclaim process.
When and how you pay
SDLT is due within a set period after completion, and in practice your conveyancing solicitor files the return and pays it on your behalf from funds you provide. It’s payable in cash, at completion — you can’t add it to the mortgage, so it has to come from your savings alongside the deposit. This is why budgeting for it early matters: a buyer who’s saved a 10% deposit but forgotten the stamp duty can find themselves thousands short at the worst possible moment.
Four worked examples
Real SDLT bills calculated from current bands, showing how the same price produces wildly different tax depending on which buyer you are.
Example 1 — Chloe (first-time buyer)
£400,000 flat, first home, qualifies for relief
SDLT: £5,000
A standard buyer would pay £10,000 → relief saves £5,000
Chloe’s first-time buyer relief halves her bill compared with a standard mover at the same price. The relief gives her a larger tax-free slice and a reduced rate up to the cap, so her £400,000 purchase costs £5,000 instead of £10,000. That £5,000 saving is real money toward furnishing the flat — and it’s only available once, on the first property anyone on the purchase has ever owned.
Example 2 — The Bashir family (movers)
£550,000 house, selling their current home
SDLT: £17,500
No surcharge — they’re replacing their only property
The Bashirs are moving up. Because they’re selling their current home and buying another to live in, they pay standard rates with no surcharge — even though for a few hours on completion day they technically own two properties. Their £17,500 bill needs to be budgeted in cash alongside moving costs, legal fees, and the deposit on the new place. Movers often underestimate how the stamp duty alone can swallow a chunk of the equity released from the sale.
Example 3 — Raj (buy-to-let investor)
£300,000 rental property, already owns his home
SDLT: £20,000
A standard buyer pays £5,000 → surcharge adds £15,000
Raj already owns his own home, so this buy-to-let triggers the additional-property surcharge on top of standard rates. His £300,000 purchase costs £20,000 in SDLT — four times what an owner-occupier would pay for the same property. The £15,000 surcharge is pure upfront cost that eats directly into his rental yield, and it’s the main reason small landlords now run the numbers far more carefully than they did a decade ago. For the income tax side of letting, see the Income Tax Calculator.
Example 4 — Amara (first-time buyer, over the cap)
£520,000 flat in London, first home
Relief lost entirely → standard rates apply
SDLT: £16,000 (same as any standard buyer)
Amara is a first-time buyer, but her £520,000 London flat is over the relief cap — so she gets no relief at all, not even partial. She pays the full standard rate of £16,000, exactly what a second-time mover would pay. This is the cruellest feature of the relief: it’s all-or-nothing at the cap, which hits first-time buyers in expensive areas hardest. A buyer at £499,000 keeps the relief; one at £501,000 loses every penny of it. In high-price markets, that cliff is worth negotiating around.
The three regimes — which buyer you are decides everything
More than the price, more than the bands, the single biggest factor in your stamp duty bill is which of three categories you fall into. The same £300,000 house carries a tax bill of £0, £5,000, or £20,000 depending only on the buyer. Knowing your regime before you start house-hunting tells you the real cost of moving — here are the three, and what separates them:
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1
First-time buyer — the lowest bill
If every buyer on the purchase is buying their first property and the price is under the relief cap, you get a larger tax-free slice and reduced rates. Often this means zero SDLT on a typical first home.
The relief is all-or-nothing at the cap, and lost entirely if anyone on the purchase has ever owned property anywhere in the world.
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2
Standard buyer — the baseline
The default for anyone replacing their main home or buying a single property without first-time status. You pay the standard banded rates — nothing on the first slice, then rising percentages on each band above.
Movers selling one home to buy another sit here, with no surcharge even though they briefly own two properties on completion day.
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3
Additional property — the surcharge
Buying when you already own another property — buy-to-let, second home, holiday let — adds a surcharge across every band, including the first slice that’s normally tax-free. It stacks on the whole price.
The exception: replacing your main residence avoids the surcharge, and if you pay it because of a delayed sale, you can usually reclaim it.
The same £300,000 house, three buyers
Identical property, identical price — only the buyer changes:
A £20,000 spread on a single £300,000 house, decided entirely by who’s buying. That’s why “how much is stamp duty on a £300k house” has no single answer — the honest reply is “which buyer are you?”. Working out your regime before you make an offer means you know your true all-in cost, not just the asking price, and it’s often the difference that decides whether a purchase is affordable.
Why people get the bill wrong
The most common error is assuming the threshold works like a cliff: “the house is just over £250,000, so the whole thing is taxed at 5%.” It isn’t — only the slice above £250,000 is. A £255,000 purchase pays 5% on £5,000, which is £250, not 5% on the whole £255,000. Understanding the slice method stops buyers panicking about creeping just over a threshold.
The second mistake is forgetting the surcharge applies even when the additional property is cheap. A £150,000 buy-to-let looks like it should attract barely any SDLT — and for an owner-occupier it would be £500. But with the surcharge stacked across every band, including the normally tax-free first slice, the bill jumps to £8,000. Investors who budget using standard-rate figures get a nasty surprise at completion.
Two scenarios that change the bill
What if…
You qualify for first-time buyer relief?
What if…
You buy an additional property?
Key stamp duty terms explained
Stamp duty comes wrapped in HMRC vocabulary and conveyancing shorthand. The ten terms below cover what you’ll see on a completion statement and in a solicitor’s SDLT return.
- Stamp Duty Land Tax SDLT
- A one-off tax on buying property or land above a threshold in England and Northern Ireland. Charged in bands, with rates rising on each slice of the price. Scotland uses LBTT and Wales uses LTT instead, with different thresholds and rates.
- Banded (slice) tax
- The way SDLT is calculated: each band’s rate applies only to the portion of the price within that band, not the whole price. Crossing a threshold taxes only the slice above it at the higher rate — there’s no cliff-edge where the entire purchase jumps to a higher rate.
- First-time buyer relief
- A reduced SDLT regime for those buying their first property: a larger tax-free slice and lower rates up to a price cap. All buyers on the purchase must qualify. Above the cap, the relief is lost entirely and standard rates apply to the whole price.
- Additional-property surcharge
- An extra rate added across every band when you buy a property while already owning another — buy-to-let, second home, or holiday let. It stacks on the whole price, including the normally tax-free first slice, making it the biggest single SDLT cost difference.
- Effective rate
- Your total SDLT as a percentage of the price. Because of the slice method, it’s always lower than the top band rate you reach — a £350,000 standard purchase touches the 5% band but has an effective rate of just 2.14%.
- Completion
- The point at which ownership legally transfers and the purchase finalises. SDLT is calculated on the price at completion and must be paid shortly after, in cash — your solicitor files the return and pays HMRC from funds you provide.
- Main residence replacement
- Selling your only or main home and buying another to live in. This avoids the additional-property surcharge even though you briefly own two properties on completion day. If a delayed sale forces you to pay the surcharge, you can usually reclaim it once the old home sells.
- SDLT return
- The form filed with HMRC to declare a property purchase and pay the tax due. Usually handled by your conveyancing solicitor on your behalf, within a set window after completion. Late filing or payment can trigger penalties and interest.
- Conveyancer / solicitor
- The legal professional handling your property purchase. Among other duties, they calculate the SDLT, file the return, and pay HMRC from the completion funds. You provide the cash; they handle the mechanics, so the tax rarely passes through your own hands directly.
- Chargeable consideration
- The total value SDLT is charged on — usually the purchase price, but it can include the value of anything else given, such as taking on a debt or non-cash payment. For most straightforward purchases it’s simply the price agreed, but unusual deals can have a higher chargeable amount.
Five mistakes UK buyers make on stamp duty
Stamp duty errors are expensive because the sums are large and paid in cash at the worst moment. These five come from conveyancing experience and the threads on r/UKPersonalFinance and r/HousingUK.
Forgetting to budget for it at all
SDLT is payable in cash at completion and can’t be added to the mortgage. Buyers who’ve carefully saved a deposit but overlooked the stamp duty find themselves thousands short days before completion. On a £400,000 standard purchase that’s a £10,000 hole. Work out the bill before you make an offer, and ring-fence the cash alongside the deposit.
Cost: £10,000+ shortfall at completion Fix: budget SDLT before offering, in cashThinking a threshold taxes the whole price
“The house is just over £250,000, so I’ll pay 5% on all of it” is wrong, and causes needless panic over creeping just past a threshold. SDLT is a slice tax — only the portion above the threshold is taxed at the higher rate. A £255,000 purchase pays 5% on £5,000 (£250 extra), not 5% on £255,000.
Cost: bad decisions from false maths Fix: only the slice above a threshold pays the higher rateLosing first-time buyer relief by buying jointly
First-time buyer relief requires that every buyer on the purchase is a genuine first-time buyer. Buy with a partner, parent, or friend who has ever owned property anywhere in the world, and the entire purchase loses the relief — not just their share. Couples sometimes save thousands by having only the first-time buyer on the deeds, though this has its own legal and mortgage implications.
Cost: thousands in lost relief Fix: check every buyer qualifies before completingUnderestimating the surcharge on a cheap second property
A modest £150,000 buy-to-let looks like it should cost almost nothing in SDLT — and for an owner-occupier it would be £500. But the additional-property surcharge stacks across every band, including the tax-free first slice, pushing the bill to £8,000. Investors who budget using standard-rate figures get caught out badly.
Cost: £7,500 surprise on a cheap BTL Fix: use additional-property rates for any second homeNot reclaiming a surcharge paid on a delayed sale
If you buy your new home before your old one sells, you may have to pay the additional-property surcharge upfront — but if you sell the old home within the allowed window, you can reclaim it in full. Many buyers don’t realise the refund exists and simply absorb a cost of tens of thousands. The reclaim is a straightforward HMRC process but you have to actively make the claim.
Cost: £15,000+ refund left unclaimed Fix: reclaim the surcharge once the old home sellsFrequently asked questions
How much is stamp duty on a £300,000 house?
It depends entirely on which buyer you are. A first-time buyer pays £0 (if under the relief cap), a standard buyer pays £5,000, and someone buying it as an additional property pays £20,000 — for the identical house.
That’s because SDLT is a buyer tax as much as a property tax. The standard £5,000 comes from the slice method: nothing on the first £125,000, 2% on the next £125,000 (£2,500), and 5% on the £50,000 above £250,000 (£2,500). The calculator above gives the exact figure for any price and buyer type.
Does this calculator work for Scotland and Wales?
No. This calculator covers Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), which applies only in England and Northern Ireland. Scotland and Wales replaced SDLT with their own taxes: Scotland uses Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Wales uses Land Transaction Tax (LTT).
Both have different thresholds, rates, and band structures from SDLT, so the figures here won’t apply north of the border or in Wales. If you’re buying there, you’ll need a calculator built for LBTT or LTT specifically.
Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty?
Often not. First-time buyers get a more generous regime — a larger tax-free slice and reduced rates up to a price cap — which means many pay nothing at all on a typical first home. Above the cap, though, the relief is lost entirely and standard rates apply to the whole price.
To qualify, every person buying must be a genuine first-time buyer who has never owned property anywhere in the world. Buying with someone who has owned before forfeits the relief for the whole purchase, not just their share.
What is the additional-property surcharge?
It’s an extra rate added on top of standard SDLT when you buy a property while already owning another — a buy-to-let, second home, or holiday let. The surcharge stacks across every band, including the first slice that’s normally tax-free.
It makes a big difference: a £300,000 purchase that costs £5,000 for an owner-occupier costs £20,000 as an additional property. The surcharge doesn’t apply if you’re replacing your main residence, and can be reclaimed if you paid it because your old home sold late.
When do I have to pay stamp duty?
SDLT is due shortly after completion — the point at which the purchase legally finalises. In practice, your conveyancing solicitor files the SDLT return and pays HMRC on your behalf, using funds you provide.
Crucially, it’s payable in cash and can’t be added to the mortgage, so the money has to come from your savings alongside the deposit. Late filing or payment can trigger penalties and interest, but since your solicitor handles it, that’s rare for ordinary purchases.
Can I add stamp duty to my mortgage?
Not directly — SDLT is a separate cash cost paid at completion, not part of the loan. However, some buyers effectively fund it by borrowing slightly more against the property (a larger mortgage and smaller deposit), freeing up cash for the tax.
This isn’t free: borrowing more raises your loan-to-value, which can mean a higher rate, and you pay interest on the extra for years. For most buyers it’s cleaner to budget the SDLT as a separate cash sum. Work out the loan impact with the Mortgage Calculator.
Is stamp duty charged on the slice or the whole price?
On the slice. SDLT is a banded tax, exactly like income tax — each band’s rate applies only to the portion of the price within that band, not the whole price. There’s no cliff-edge where crossing a threshold taxes everything at the higher rate.
So a £255,000 purchase doesn’t pay 5% on £255,000. It pays 0% on the first £125,000, 2% on the next £125,000, and 5% only on the £5,000 above £250,000 — an extra £250, not thousands. Understanding this stops buyers panicking about creeping just over a threshold.
Will stamp duty rates change?
They can, and historically they have. SDLT thresholds, rates, first-time buyer relief, and the surcharge are all set by the government and can change at Budgets or fiscal events. Temporary “holidays” and threshold changes have been used several times in recent years to influence the housing market.
Because of this, always confirm the current rates before relying on a figure — the authoritative source is gov.uk, and for impartial guidance on buying costs, MoneyHelper is a good independent reference.
Related calculators
Stamp duty is one of several upfront and ongoing costs of buying. These calculators handle the others.
Methodology & sources
How the maths works
The calculator applies SDLT as a banded slice tax: the price is divided across the rate bands, and each band’s rate is applied only to the portion of the price falling within it. The total is the sum of those slices. First-time buyer relief substitutes a more generous set of bands up to a cap, above which standard bands apply to the whole price. The additional-property surcharge adds a set number of percentage points to every band, applied across the full price including the lowest slice.
Effective rate is the total SDLT divided by the price, which is always lower than the highest band rate reached because of the slice method. Figures use current SDLT bands for England and Northern Ireland and are estimates for budgeting, not a tax computation for your specific transaction.
UK rules used (current SDLT bands, England & NI)
- Standard residential: 0% to £125k, 2% to £250k, 5% to £925k, 10% to £1.5m, 12% above
- First-time buyer relief: 0% to £300k, 5% to £500k, no relief above £500k
- Additional property: standard rates plus a surcharge across all bands
- Slice method: each rate applies only to the portion within its band
- Payment: due shortly after completion, in cash, via your solicitor
- Scope: England and Northern Ireland only (Scotland LBTT, Wales LTT differ)