First-Time Buyer Stamp Duty Calculator
Calculate FTB stamp duty for England (SDLT), Scotland (LBTT), and Wales (LTT) for 2025/26 and 2026/27. England gives 0% to £300,000 with a £500,000 cliff edge. Scotland uplifts the nil-rate to £175,000 with no cap. Wales has no FTB relief.
SDLT Due
£0.00
Effective rate: 0.00%
Property Price
£300,000
SDLT · England & Northern Ireland
FTB Saving
£5,000.00
Compared to standard rates
| Band | Rate | Taxable Amount | Tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| £0 – £300,000 | 0.00% | £300,000 | £0.00 |
| Base SDLT | £0.00 | ||
| Total SDLT | £0.00 | ||
First-time buyer worked examples (2025-26)
Compare what a first-time buyer pays vs a standard home mover at the same price. The "saving" column shows the £ benefit of FTB relief.
| Scenario | FTB tax | Standard tax | FTB saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| £250k (England) | £0 | £2,500 | £2,500 |
| £350k (England) | £2,500 | £7,500 | £5,000 |
| £450k (England) | £7,500 | £12,500 | £5,000 |
| £500k (England, cliff edge) | £10,000 | £15,000 | £5,000 |
| £250k (Scotland) | £1,500 | £2,100 | £600 |
| £400k (Scotland) | £12,750 | £13,350 | £600 |
The £500,000 cliff edge (England only)
English FTB relief is binary — either you get it on the full purchase or you lose it entirely. At £500,000 a first-time buyer pays £10,000. One pound over and the same buyer pays £15,000 at standard rates. That £5,000 jump for £1 of extra price is a hard negotiating leverage point — sellers often agree to a £499,950 sale to keep FTB relief on the table.
Frequently asked questions
What is the first-time buyer stamp duty relief in England?
First-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland pay 0% SDLT on the first £300,000 of a property priced at or below £500,000, and 5% on the slice from £300,001 to £500,000. If the price exceeds £500,000 by even £1, FTB relief is lost entirely and standard rates apply to the full price — a true cliff edge, not a taper.
Do first-time buyers in Scotland get any LBTT relief?
Yes. Scotland's first-time buyer LBTT relief raises the nil-rate band from £145,000 (standard) to £175,000 — saving £600 versus a standard buyer. Critically, Scotland has no upper price cap on FTB relief, unlike England's £500k cliff edge. A first-time buyer in Scotland gets the £175k nil-rate band on a £1m purchase or a £200k purchase alike.
Do first-time buyers in Wales pay stamp duty?
Wales has no first-time buyer relief on Land Transaction Tax. The Welsh Revenue Authority taxes first-time buyers at standard LTT rates: 0% to £225,000, 6% from £225,001 to £400,000, 7.5% to £750,000, and so on. The £225k nil-rate band is already higher than England's standard £125k, so Welsh FTBs at lower price points often pay less than English standard buyers anyway.
What counts as a first-time buyer for SDLT purposes?
HMRC defines a first-time buyer as someone who has never previously owned a residential property — anywhere in the world, including inherited shares. If you are buying jointly, every buyer must be a first-time buyer to claim the relief. Property held through a trust counts. Owning a buy-to-let elsewhere disqualifies you, even if you have never lived in your own home.
Should I negotiate a £500,001 home down to £500,000 to keep FTB relief?
Yes — the £500k cliff edge is steep. At £500,000 a first-time buyer pays £10,000 SDLT (£0 to £300k, 5% on £200k). At £500,001 the buyer pays standard rates: £15,000 SDLT (0% to £125k, 2% to £250k, 5% to £500k+). That is a £5,000 jump for a £1 price increase. Asking the seller to drop £1,000 below the cap saves you £5,000.
Sources
Related Calculators
Learn More
Stamp Duty (SDLT) Guide: Rates, Reliefs & Regional Differences
A complete guide to Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) in England and Northern Ireland, LBTT in Scotland, and LTT in Wales — including first-time buyer relief and additional property surcharges.
Stamp Duty Rates and Thresholds in 2025-26
Standard SDLT rates, first-time buyer relief, the 5% additional property surcharge, and worked examples to show your stamp duty liability in 2025-26.