How much is stamp duty in 2026?
Published 31 May 2026 · 4 min read · By Evren Ergin
In 2026 you pay stamp duty on a home in England or Northern Ireland once the price passes £125,000, and the rate climbs in bands from 2% to 12%. First-time buyers pay nothing up to £300,000, and the rates have not changed since they were set on 1 April 2025.
TL;DR
- •Stamp duty starts at £125,000 for most buyers, with first-time buyers paying nothing up to £300,000.
- •It is charged in bands, so you only pay the higher rate on the slice of the price inside each band, not the whole price.
- •Second homes and buy-to-let purchases carry a 5% surcharge on top of the standard rates.
- •The rates were set on 1 April 2025 and are unchanged for 2026; the seller does not pay stamp duty, the buyer does.
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a tax you pay when you buy a home or land in England or Northern Ireland above a set price. It is worked out in bands, which means each slice of the purchase price is taxed at its own rate rather than the whole price being taxed at one rate. Scotland and Wales run their own separate systems (Land and Buildings Transaction Tax in Scotland, Land Transaction Tax in Wales), so the figures below apply to England and Northern Ireland.
What are the stamp duty rates in 2026?
For someone buying their only home, the standard bands below apply. These rates took effect on 1 April 2025 and remain in place through 2026, with no new changes announced.
Standard SDLT rates, England and Northern Ireland, 2026
| Portion of the price | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | 5% |
| £925,001 to £1.5 million | 10% |
| Above £1.5 million | 12% |
How much stamp duty would I pay on a £350,000 home?
Because the tax is banded, you add up the charge from each band rather than applying one rate to the full price. On a £350,000 home bought as your only property, the sum works out as follows.
Worked example: stamp duty on a £350,000 home (only property)
| Band | Amount taxed | Rate | Tax due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | £125,000 | 0% | £0 |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | £125,000 | 2% | £2,500 |
| £250,001 to £350,000 | £100,000 | 5% | £5,000 |
| Total | £350,000 | £7,500 |
Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty in 2026?
First-time buyers pay no stamp duty on the first £300,000 and 5% on the portion from £300,001 to £500,000. If the property costs more than £500,000, the relief is lost entirely and the standard rates apply to the whole price.
How much is stamp duty on a second home?
Buying an additional residential property, such as a second home or a buy-to-let, usually adds a 5% surcharge on top of the standard rates across every band. A non-UK resident buyer pays a further 2% on top of that.
When do I have to pay stamp duty?
You must file a stamp duty return and pay the tax within 14 days of completion. In practice your conveyancing solicitor handles the return and payment for you as part of the purchase.
Did stamp duty change in 2026?
No. The current thresholds and rates were introduced on 1 April 2025 and remain unchanged for 2026. The £125,000 starting threshold and the £300,000 first-time-buyer threshold are the figures that apply today.
Does the seller pay stamp duty?
No. Stamp duty is paid by the buyer, not the seller. If you are selling one home and buying another, you pay stamp duty on the home you are buying, not on the one you are selling.
Why it pays to know your number before you commit
Stamp duty is often the largest single cost on a purchase after the deposit, so working it out early keeps your budget honest and stops a surprise bill at completion. If you are selling in order to buy, your sale price sets what you can afford next, which makes a realistic valuation the foundation of the whole move. ValuQ gives UK homeowners free, side-by-side property valuations from competing local estate agents, so you can see what your current home is genuinely worth before you plan the next step.
Sources
- [1]GOV.UK — Stamp Duty Land Tax: residential property rates · 2025-04-01 · https://www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax/residential-property-rates
- [2]GOV.UK — Stamp Duty Land Tax: how much time you have to file and pay · 2025-04-01 · https://www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax/how-much-time
- [3]MoneyHelper — Stamp Duty calculator and SDLT rates · 2026-01-15 · https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/homes/buying-a-home/stamp-duty-calculator
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