UK Tax Tools

UK Stamp Duty Explained

Three separate taxes apply when you buy property in the UK: SDLT in England & Northern Ireland, LBTT in Scotland, and LTT in Wales. Each has its own bands, nil-rate threshold, first-time buyer relief, and additional-property surcharge. Pick the calculator that matches your purchase to see full band-by-band working for 2025-26 and 2026-27.

Home mover (standard rates)

Standard banded rates with no first-time buyer relief and no additional-property surcharge. England & NI (SDLT), Scotland (LBTT), and Wales (LTT) each apply their own bands from their respective nil-rate thresholds. Enter any price and choose your region in the calculator for the exact figure.

Calculate standard stamp duty →

First-time buyer relief

England gives a £300,000 nil-rate band capped at £500,000 — buy above £500k and full relief is lost. Scotland gives a £175,000 nil-rate band with no upper cap. Wales has no first-time buyer scheme, so the standard LTT bands apply to everyone.

First-time buyer stamp duty calculator →

Second home / buy-to-let (additional property)

Standard rates plus a surcharge on every pound: 5% in England (since 31 October 2024), 8% ADS in Scotland (since 5 December 2024), and 5% higher rate in Wales. Non-UK residents pay a further 2% SDLT surcharge in England & NI.

Sources & methodology

Bands and rates are pulled from the site's central tax-year configuration (src/data/ukStampDutyData.ts) which mirrors HMRC's SDLT residential rates page, Revenue Scotland's LBTT bands, and the Welsh Revenue Authority's LTT bands. Every calculator runs the exact same banded calculation — no rounded approximations.

For tax years before 2025-26 (e.g. completing under the temporary SDLT thresholds that ended 31 March 2025), switch the tax year in the calculator. It also handles non-standard scenarios: mixed-use property, six-or-more dwellings, multiple dwellings relief, and corporate/non-resident buyers.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between SDLT, LBTT, and LTT?
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is HMRC's tax on residential property in England and Northern Ireland. Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) is Revenue Scotland's equivalent in Scotland. Land Transaction Tax (LTT) is the Welsh Revenue Authority's equivalent in Wales. Each has its own band structure, nil-rate threshold, and additional-property surcharge.
What is the additional-property surcharge in each UK jurisdiction?
England & NI charges a 5% SDLT surcharge on every pound of an additional residential property (raised from 3% on 31 October 2024). Scotland charges 8% ADS (raised from 6% on 5 December 2024). Wales charges 5% LTT higher rate. All apply on top of standard banded rates.
Do first-time buyer reliefs work the same across the UK?
No. England gives a £300,000 nil-rate band capped at £500,000 — buy above £500k and you lose all FTB relief. Scotland gives a £175,000 nil-rate band with no upper price cap. Wales has no first-time buyer scheme — the standard LTT bands (with a £225,000 nil-rate threshold) apply to everyone.

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