Everything you need to know about stamp duty in 2026 — current SDLT rates, the 5% additional property surcharge, first-time buyer relief, Scotland and Wales rates, and a free calculator to work out exactly what you'll pay. Updated May 2026. No sign-up required.
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a tax on property purchases in England and Northern Ireland. It is charged in bands — you pay 0% on the first £125,000, 2% on £125,001–£250,000, 5% on £250,001–£925,000, 10% on £925,001–£1.5m, and 12% above that. First-time buyers pay 0% up to £300,000. Anyone buying an additional residential property — a second home, buy-to-let, or investment property — pays a 5% surcharge on top of standard rates across the full purchase price. SDLT must be paid within 14 days of completion.
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is the tax you pay when you buy a residential property in England or Northern Ireland. It applies to freehold and leasehold purchases, and to transfers of existing leases. Scotland and Wales have their own equivalent taxes — LBTT and LTT respectively — with different rates.
SDLT is progressive and banded — like income tax, you only pay the higher rate on the portion of the price that falls within each band, not on the whole amount. This is the most commonly misunderstood aspect of stamp duty.
The key change in recent years was in October 2024 when the government raised the additional property surcharge from 3% to 5%. That rate remains in place throughout 2026 and significantly affects anyone buying a second home or investment property.
| Property Value Band | SDLT Rate 2026 | Tax on that Band |
|---|---|---|
| £0 – £125,000 | 0% | £0 |
| £125,001 – £250,000 | 2% | Up to £2,500 |
| £250,001 – £925,000 | 5% | Up to £33,750 |
| £925,001 – £1,500,000 | 10% | Up to £57,500 |
| Above £1,500,000 | 12% | 12% on excess |
| Property Value Band | FTB Rate 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| £0 – £300,000 | 0% | Full relief — no SDLT |
| £300,001 – £500,000 | 5% | On portion above £300k only |
| Above £500,000 | Standard rates apply | Relief lost entirely above £500k |
| Property Value Band | Rate (Standard + 5% Surcharge) |
|---|---|
| £0 – £125,000 | 5% (0% + 5%) |
| £125,001 – £250,000 | 7% (2% + 5%) |
| £250,001 – £925,000 | 10% (5% + 5%) |
| £925,001 – £1,500,000 | 15% (10% + 5%) |
| Above £1,500,000 | 17% (12% + 5%) |
If you are buying a second home, a buy-to-let, or any additional residential property in 2026, you pay a 5% surcharge on top of standard SDLT rates — applied across the entire purchase price from the first pound.
This is not a threshold tax. It applies from £1, not just above a certain price. On a £300,000 additional property, the surcharge alone is £15,000 — nearly trebling the SDLT compared to a standard purchase (£5,000).
The surcharge was increased from 3% to 5% in the Autumn Budget of October 2024 and has remained at 5% since. There was no change to this rate in the 2026 budget.
The surcharge applies if, at the end of the day of completion, you own two or more residential properties anywhere in the world. This includes properties abroad. It does not matter whether the additional property is mortgaged, owned outright, or inherited.
There is one scenario where you can get it back. If you paid the surcharge because you temporarily owned two homes while moving — i.e. you bought a new main residence before selling the old one — you can reclaim the 5% surcharge from HMRC provided you sell the original property within 3 years of completing the new purchase. You must apply for the refund within 12 months of selling the old property.
Enter the property price and buyer type for an instant SDLT calculation with a full band breakdown.
CalcHubUK has a mortgage calculator, affordability calculator, and take-home pay calculator — everything you need to plan a property purchase in one place.
See All Calculators →The temporary stamp duty thresholds introduced in September 2022 expired on 31 March 2025. From 1 April 2025, the nil-rate band returned to £125,000 (down from the temporary £250,000). This means most buyers now pay more than they did between 2022 and March 2025.
| Buyer type & property price | Before Apr 2025 (temp rates) | From Apr 2025 (current 2026) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home mover — £200,000 | £0 | £1,500 | +£1,500 |
| Home mover — £300,000 | £2,500 | £5,000 | +£2,500 |
| Home mover — £400,000 | £7,500 | £10,000 | +£2,500 |
| First-time buyer — £300,000 | £0 | £0 | No change |
| First-time buyer — £400,000 | £0 | £5,000 | +£5,000 |
| First-time buyer — £500,000 | £10,000 | £15,000 | +£5,000 |
Source: HMRC. Rates confirmed for 2025/26 and 2026/27 tax years. Additional property surcharge rose from 3% to 5% in October 2024 — separate change from the April 2025 threshold reversion.
Stamp duty is devolved across the UK. SDLT applies only in England and Northern Ireland. If you are buying in Scotland or Wales, different taxes apply with different rates and thresholds.
LBTT is administered by Revenue Scotland. The nil-rate band for standard buyers is £145,000. First-time buyers benefit from a higher nil-rate band of £175,000. Rates above the threshold are 2%, 5%, 10%, and 12% on increasing bands. An Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) of 8% applies to second homes and buy-to-let properties — significantly higher than the 5% SDLT surcharge in England.
| LBTT band (Scotland) | Standard rate | First-time buyer |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £145,000 | 0% | 0% |
| £145,001 – £175,000 | 2% | 0% |
| £175,001 – £250,000 | 2% | 2% |
| £250,001 – £325,000 | 5% | 5% |
| £325,001 – £750,000 | 10% | 10% |
| Above £750,000 | 12% | 12% |
LTT is administered by the Welsh Revenue Authority. There is no first-time buyer relief in Wales — the nil-rate band of £225,000 applies to all buyers. A higher residential rates surcharge of 5% applies to additional properties. Rates above the threshold run from 3.5% up to 16%.
| LTT band (Wales) | Standard rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £225,000 | 0% |
| £225,001 – £400,000 | 6% |
| £400,001 – £750,000 | 7.5% |
| £750,001 – £1,500,000 | 10% |
| Above £1,500,000 | 12% |
Source: Revenue Scotland (LBTT) and Welsh Revenue Authority (LTT). Rates shown are current 2026 residential rates. Always verify with the relevant authority before completion.
SDLT must be paid and the SDLT1 return filed with HMRC within 14 days of completion. Your solicitor or conveyancer almost always handles this on your behalf — they deduct the tax from your completion funds, file the return electronically, and send you the SDLT5 certificate that the Land Registry requires to register your title. Late filing triggers a £100 automatic penalty, rising to £200 after three months, plus interest on the unpaid amount.
You do not need to do anything yourself in most cases — but it is worth confirming with your conveyancer that they will handle the filing, and ensuring your completion funds include the full SDLT amount.
If you are not resident in the UK for at least 183 days in the 12 months before your purchase, a further 2% surcharge applies on top of all other SDLT rates. This applies to both individual buyers and companies. If the purchase is also an additional dwelling, the 5% additional property surcharge and the 2% non-resident surcharge both apply — meaning up to 7% on top of standard rates.
Stamp duty is usually the largest single upfront cost when buying a property, but it is not the only one. The table below shows the other costs you should budget for before and at completion.
| Cost | Typical range (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp Duty (SDLT) | £0 – £100k+ | Depends on price and buyer type |
| Solicitor / conveyancing fees | £800 – £2,000 | Legal fees for the purchase transaction |
| Search fees | £250 – £450 | Local authority, drainage, environmental searches |
| Survey | £400 – £1,500 | HomeBuyer Report £400–£900; Full Structural £900–£1,500 |
| Land Registry fee | £40 – £910 | Scales with property value; reduced for online applications |
| Mortgage arrangement fee | £0 – £2,000 | Some lenders charge, others offer fee-free deals |
| Mortgage valuation fee | £0 – £500 | Many lenders now offer free valuations |
| Buildings insurance (first year) | £150 – £400 | Required by mortgage lender from exchange |
| Removal costs | £300 – £2,000 | Depends on volume and distance |
Total buying costs (excluding stamp duty) typically run £2,000–£7,000 for a standard purchase. Budget for the higher end if you are using a solicitor rather than a licensed conveyancer, or if the transaction is complex.