Rates & allowances
Stamp duty & land taxes — UK rates and thresholds
SDLT, LBTT and LTT bands for residential, additional and first-time buyer purchases.
2026/27
SDLT — Standard residential
| Band | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% |
| £125,001 – £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 – £925,000 | 5% |
| £925,001 – £1,500,000 | 10% |
| Over £1,500,000 | 12% |
SDLT — Additional property (5% surcharge)
| Band | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 5% |
| £125,001 – £250,000 | 7% |
| £250,001 – £925,000 | 10% |
| £925,001 – £1,500,000 | 15% |
| Over £1,500,000 | 17% |
A 5% surcharge applies in addition to standard rates from 31 October 2024.
SDLT — First-time buyer relief
| Band | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £300,000 | 0% |
| £300,001 – £500,000 | 5% |
No relief if purchase price exceeds £500,000.
2025/26
SDLT — Standard residential
| Band | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% |
| £125,001 – £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 – £925,000 | 5% |
| £925,001 – £1,500,000 | 10% |
| Over £1,500,000 | 12% |
SDLT — Additional property (3% surcharge)
| Band | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 5% |
| £125,001 – £250,000 | 7% |
| £250,001 – £925,000 | 10% |
| £925,001 – £1,500,000 | 15% |
| Over £1,500,000 | 17% |
Stamp duty and land taxes
Buying property or land triggers a transaction tax that varies by nation: Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) in England and Northern Ireland, Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) in Scotland, and Land Transaction Tax (LTT) in Wales. Each is charged in bands, with a surcharge on additional properties and relief for first-time buyers.
The tables above show the current bands. Use our calculators to estimate the tax on a specific purchase, and talk to us about property VAT and structuring.
How the tax is actually calculated
It is charged in slices, not at a single rate. Each band applies only to the part of the price that falls inside it, so a purchase just over a threshold does not suddenly cost the higher rate on the whole price — only on the amount above it. That is worth knowing before negotiating around a threshold, because the saving from coming under one is smaller than people assume.
Commercial and mixed-use property
Non-residential and mixed-use purchases are taxed on an entirely different and lower scale. A property with any genuine non-residential element — a flat over a shop, land with commercial use — usually falls on that scale for the whole purchase, which can make it markedly cheaper than the residential rates on the same price. It is one of the few places where the label attached to a property changes the tax substantially.
Surcharges
An additional dwelling carries a surcharge on top of the ordinary rates, and it applies from the first pound rather than above a threshold. Buying through a company means the higher rates apply automatically, and above a further threshold a flat charge can apply to certain corporate purchases unless a relief is available. Non-UK residents pay an additional surcharge on residential property in England and Northern Ireland.
Scotland and Wales run their own taxes entirely — Land and Buildings Transaction Tax and Land Transaction Tax — with their own bands, their own reliefs and, in Wales, no first-time buyer relief at all.
Frequently asked
Do I pay extra on a second property?+
Yes — an additional-property surcharge usually applies to second homes and buy-to-lets across all three nations. Our calculators include it.
What relief do first-time buyers get?+
First-time buyers pay reduced or no tax up to a threshold. The exact relief depends on the nation and purchase price.
How is stamp duty land tax calculated?+
In slices. Each band applies only to the portion of the price within it, so crossing a threshold only affects the amount above it rather than the whole price. Our calculator shows the tax band by band so you can see where it comes from.
Is commercial property taxed differently?+
Yes, and much more favourably. Non-residential and mixed-use purchases use a separate, lower scale, and a property with any genuine non-residential element normally falls on that scale for the whole purchase. It is worth establishing before exchange, not after.
Does a company pay more stamp duty?+
Yes. A company buying a dwelling pays the higher rates automatically, and above a further threshold a flat charge can apply to certain corporate purchases unless a relief — letting or development, for example — is available. That is a question to settle before exchange.
Rates in context
Knowing the rate is not the same as knowing the bill.
Thresholds interact — allowances taper, reliefs stack, and the order you take income in changes the total. We plan for that.
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