Stamp Duty Rates 2025/26: Full SDLT Guide for England
Updated SDLT rates from 1 April 2025, first-time buyer relief, second home surcharges, and worked examples to calculate your stamp duty bill.
Standard SDLT Rates from 1 April 2025 (England and Northern Ireland)
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a tiered tax on property purchases in England and Northern Ireland. The rates are applied to the relevant portion of the purchase price, not the whole price. The rates from 1 April 2025 for standard residential purchases are:
| Purchase Price Portion | SDLT Rate (Standard Buyer) |
|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | 5% |
| £925,001 to £1,500,000 | 10% |
| Above £1,500,000 | 12% |
Calculate your exact SDLT bill using our Stamp Duty Calculator — simply enter the purchase price, property type, and buyer status.
What Changed on 1 April 2025
The government introduced temporary higher nil-rate thresholds in September 2022, which expired on 31 March 2025. The changes are significant for buyers:
Before 1 April 2025 (Temporary Relief)
- 0% up to £250,000
- 5% on £250,001 to £925,000
- FTB 0% up to £425,000
- FTB max property: £625,000
From 1 April 2025 (Current Rules)
- 0% up to £125,000
- 2% on £125,001 to £250,000
- 5% on £250,001 to £925,000
- FTB 0% up to £300,000
- FTB max property: £500,000
| Buyer Type & Purchase Price | SDLT Before 1 April 2025 | SDLT From 1 April 2025 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard buyer, £250,000 | £0 | £2,500 | +£2,500 |
| Standard buyer, £400,000 | £7,500 | £10,000 | +£2,500 |
| First-time buyer, £400,000 | £0 | £5,000 | +£5,000 |
| First-time buyer, £500,000 | £3,750 | £10,000 | +£6,250 |
| Standard buyer, £600,000 | £20,000 | £22,500 | +£2,500 |
First-Time Buyer Relief 2025/26
First-time buyers benefit from a specific SDLT relief. From 1 April 2025, the rules are:
| Purchase Price Portion | SDLT Rate (First-Time Buyer) |
|---|---|
| Up to £300,000 | 0% |
| £300,001 to £500,000 | 5% |
| Above £500,000 | Standard rates apply (no FTB relief) |
The relief applies even when the property costs between £300,000 and £500,000, but only on the portion above £300,000. If the property costs more than £500,000, normal rates apply to the entire purchase price.
Second Home and Buy-to-Let Surcharge
If you purchase a second residential property — any property that is not your main home at the time of purchase — an additional surcharge applies on top of the standard SDLT rates.
From 31 October 2024, the additional surcharge rate increased from 3% to 5% (announced in the Autumn Budget 2024). This applies to the entire purchase price, in addition to the standard rates.
| Purchase Price Portion | Standard Rate | Higher Rate (Second Home/BTL) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% | 5% |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | 2% | 7% |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | 5% | 10% |
| £925,001 to £1,500,000 | 10% | 15% |
| Above £1,500,000 | 12% | 17% |
Worked Calculation Examples
Example 1: Standard Buyer, £250,000 Property
| Portion | Rate | SDLT |
|---|---|---|
| £0 to £125,000 (£125,000) | 0% | £0 |
| £125,001 to £250,000 (£125,000) | 2% | £2,500 |
Total SDLT: £2,500
Example 2: First-Time Buyer, £400,000 Property
| Portion | Rate | SDLT |
|---|---|---|
| £0 to £300,000 (£300,000) | 0% (FTB relief) | £0 |
| £300,001 to £400,000 (£100,000) | 5% | £5,000 |
Total SDLT: £5,000
Example 3: Standard Buyer, £400,000 Property
| Portion | Rate | SDLT |
|---|---|---|
| £0 to £125,000 (£125,000) | 0% | £0 |
| £125,001 to £250,000 (£125,000) | 2% | £2,500 |
| £250,001 to £400,000 (£150,000) | 5% | £7,500 |
Total SDLT: £10,000
Example 4: Second Home or Buy-to-Let, £400,000 Property
| Portion | Rate (Standard + 5%) | SDLT |
|---|---|---|
| £0 to £125,000 (£125,000) | 0% + 5% = 5% | £6,250 |
| £125,001 to £250,000 (£125,000) | 2% + 5% = 7% | £8,750 |
| £250,001 to £400,000 (£150,000) | 5% + 5% = 10% | £15,000 |
Total SDLT: £30,000 (compared to £10,000 for a standard buyer)
Example 5: Standard Buyer, £1,000,000 Property
| Portion | Rate | SDLT |
|---|---|---|
| £0 to £125,000 (£125,000) | 0% | £0 |
| £125,001 to £250,000 (£125,000) | 2% | £2,500 |
| £250,001 to £925,000 (£675,000) | 5% | £33,750 |
| £925,001 to £1,000,000 (£75,000) | 10% | £7,500 |
Total SDLT: £43,750
Non-UK Resident Surcharge
Non-UK residents purchasing residential property in England pay an additional 2% SDLT surcharge on top of the standard or higher rates. This applies if you are not present in the UK for at least 183 days in the 12 months before the purchase date.
This surcharge applies regardless of whether you are a first-time buyer or purchasing a second home. It is in addition to the 5% second home surcharge if applicable, meaning a non-UK resident buying a second home could pay standard rates + 5% second home + 2% non-resident = effectively 7% extra on each band.
Non-Residential and Mixed-Use Properties
Non-residential SDLT rates (for commercial property, land, and mixed-use properties) are different and generally lower:
| Purchase Price Portion | SDLT Rate (Non-Residential) |
|---|---|
| Up to £150,000 | 0% |
| £150,001 to £250,000 | 2% |
| Above £250,000 | 5% |
Mixed-use properties (e.g., a flat above a shop) can benefit from non-residential rates, which may result in significantly lower SDLT than if the property were treated as purely residential. Getting this classification right can save thousands of pounds. This is a specialist area and professional advice is recommended.
Scotland and Wales
Scotland: Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT)
Scotland does not use SDLT. Instead, Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) applies, administered by Revenue Scotland. The rates and thresholds are set by the Scottish Parliament and differ from SDLT in England. An Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) of 8% applies to second homes in Scotland (as of 2024).
Wales: Land Transaction Tax (LTT)
Wales operates Land Transaction Tax (LTT), administered by the Welsh Revenue Authority. LTT rates and thresholds differ from SDLT. The nil-rate band for main home residential purchases is £225,000 in Wales. A higher rates surcharge applies to additional properties.
How to Pay Stamp Duty Land Tax
SDLT must be paid and a return filed with HMRC within 14 days of completion. This is a strict deadline — missing it incurs automatic penalties even if no SDLT is actually due.
- Your solicitor handles it (standard approach): In the vast majority of property transactions, the buyer's solicitor or conveyancer files the SDLT return and makes payment on your behalf, funded from the monies you provide at completion. They will typically ask for the SDLT amount in advance of or alongside the completion funds.
- Self-filing: If you do not have a solicitor (rare), you must file and pay directly through HMRC's SDLT online service.
- SDLT must always be filed: Even if no SDLT is due (because the purchase price is below the nil-rate threshold), an SDLT return may still be required in some circumstances.
SDLT Exemptions and Reliefs
Transactions Below £40,000
Purchases of residential property for under £40,000 do not require an SDLT return to be filed and no SDLT is payable.
Transfer Between Spouses or Civil Partners
Transfers of property between spouses or civil partners as part of a separation or divorce, or following a court order, are exempt from SDLT.
Gifts and Inheritance
Property given as a genuine gift (no consideration paid, including no debt taken over) is exempt from SDLT. However, if you take over a mortgage on a gifted property, SDLT applies to the value of the mortgage assumed.
Right to Buy
Purchases of council properties under the Right to Buy scheme may benefit from reduced SDLT, calculated on the discounted purchase price.
Multiple Dwellings Relief (Abolished from June 2024)
Multiple Dwellings Relief (MDR) allowed buyers purchasing multiple properties in a single transaction to calculate SDLT based on the average price per dwelling. This relief was abolished from 1 June 2024, meaning buyers of multiple properties in a single transaction now pay SDLT based on the total consideration at the normal rates.
Compulsory Purchase
Where a local authority or government body compulsorily acquires a property, SDLT exemptions and reliefs may apply to subsequent purchases of replacement property.
SDLT Timeline: Key Dates
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 23 September 2022 | Temporary higher nil-rate thresholds introduced (£250k standard, £425k FTB) |
| 31 October 2024 | Second home/BTL surcharge increased from 3% to 5% |
| 31 March 2025 | Last day of temporary higher thresholds |
| 1 April 2025 | Thresholds revert: 0% to £125,000 standard; FTB 0% to £300,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
From 1 April 2025, the standard stamp duty (SDLT) nil-rate threshold in England is £125,000. No SDLT is payable on the first £125,000 of a standard residential purchase. Above £125,000 the rate is 2% up to £250,000, then 5% up to £925,000, 10% up to £1,500,000, and 12% above that. The temporary higher thresholds that applied from September 2022 have ended.
From 1 April 2025, first-time buyers pay 0% SDLT on the first £300,000 of the purchase price, and 5% on the portion between £300,001 and £500,000. If the property costs more than £500,000, no first-time buyer relief applies and standard rates are charged on the full amount. This is less generous than the temporary relief that applied until 31 March 2025, when the 0% threshold was £425,000 and the maximum property price was £625,000.
On 1 April 2025, the temporary higher SDLT thresholds ended. The nil-rate threshold for standard buyers reverted from £250,000 to £125,000. The first-time buyer relief threshold reverted from £425,000 to £300,000. The maximum property price for first-time buyer relief also reduced from £625,000 to £500,000. These changes mean most buyers pay higher stamp duty from April 2025 compared to the period September 2022 to March 2025.
An additional 5% SDLT surcharge applies to purchases of second residential properties (from 31 October 2024, increased from the previous 3%). This applies to any property that is not your primary main home, including buy-to-let investments, holiday homes, and any residential property you own in addition to your main residence. The surcharge is applied to the entire purchase price across all rate bands. If you sell your previous main home within three years, you can apply for a refund of the surcharge.
Yes, but different rates apply. For non-residential and mixed-use property: 0% up to £150,000; 2% on £150,001 to £250,000; 5% above £250,000. These rates are generally lower than residential SDLT rates and there is no additional dwelling surcharge for extra commercial properties. Mixed-use properties (e.g., shop with flat above) may benefit from these lower non-residential rates, so professional advice on classification is worthwhile for borderline properties.
SDLT must be paid to HMRC within 14 days of completion. In most cases, your solicitor or conveyancer will handle the SDLT return and payment on your behalf as part of the conveyancing process. They will request the SDLT funds from you alongside your completion monies. If you do not use a solicitor, you must file and pay directly through HMRC's online SDLT service. Missing the 14-day deadline results in automatic late filing penalties and interest charges on any unpaid tax.
Related Calculators and Guides
This guide is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. SDLT rules are complex and individual circumstances vary. Always use a qualified solicitor or conveyancer for property transactions and seek tax advice if in doubt. Rates and thresholds are correct for purchases completing from 1 April 2025 based on HMRC guidance current at February 2026.