SDLT Rates from April 2025
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is the tax you pay when buying a residential property in England or Northern Ireland. The rates are progressive — you only pay the higher rate on the portion of the price within each band, not on the entire purchase price.
| Band | Standard | First-time buyer |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% | 0% |
| £125,001 – £250,000 | 2% | 0%* |
| £250,001 – £300,000 | 5% | 0%* |
| £300,001 – £625,000 | 5% | 5%* |
| £625,001 – £925,000 | 5% | Standard rates |
| £925,001 – £1.5m | 10% | Standard rates |
| Over £1.5m | 12% | Standard rates |
*First-time buyer relief only applies to properties up to £625,000.
First-Time Buyer Relief
First-time buyers pay no SDLT on the first £300,000 of a property priced up to £625,000. On the portion between £300,000 and £625,000, the rate is 5%. If the property costs more than £625,000, you pay the standard rates on the entire price — the first-time buyer relief does not apply at all.
Additional Property Surcharge
If you already own a property and are buying an additional residential property (second home, buy-to-let, holiday home), you pay a 5% surcharge on top of the standard SDLT rates. This surcharge was increased from 3% to 5% in October 2024. You may be able to reclaim the surcharge if you sell your previous main residence within 36 months.
Scotland and Wales
This calculator covers England and Northern Ireland only. Scotland uses Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) with different rates and bands. Wales uses Land Transaction Tax (LTT). Both have their own first-time buyer and additional property surcharge rules.