How much stamp duty will I pay in the UK in 2026?

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is the tax buyers in England and Northern Ireland pay when they purchase a residential property. Scotland uses Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT), Wales uses Land Transaction Tax (LTT); both have different thresholds. The 2026 rates below apply to England and Northern Ireland only.

What are the SDLT thresholds and rates in 2026?

SDLT is calculated in bands, not as a single percentage on the whole price. A buyer pays the relevant percentage on each portion of the price that falls into each band. The bands have applied since April 2025, when the temporary 'nil-rate' threshold was reduced from £250,000 back to £125,000 (GOV.UK SDLT residential rates).

How does first-time buyer relief work?

First-time buyer relief lifts the nil-rate band for buyers who have never owned a residential property anywhere in the world. The relief applies to purchases of £500,000 or less. Above £500,000, the buyer pays standard rates on the full price and does not qualify for the relief at all.

How much extra is the additional-property surcharge?

Buyers who own one residential property already and are purchasing another (a buy-to-let, a holiday home, or a second home) pay a 5 percentage point surcharge on top of every SDLT band. The surcharge applies from the first pound, not from £125,000. The 5% level took effect from April 2025, increased from the previous 3% surcharge.

Example: a buyer purchasing a £400,000 second home pays 5% on the first £125,000 (£6,250), 7% on the next £125,000 (£8,750), and 10% on the remaining £150,000 (£15,000), totalling £30,000. A first-time owner-occupier buying the same property would pay £7,500.

What about non-UK residents buying UK property?

Non-UK residents (those not present in the UK for at least 183 days during the 12 months before the purchase) pay an additional 2 percentage points on top of every band, including the additional-property surcharge if it applies. A non-UK resident buying a £400,000 second home pays 9% on the first £125,000, 11% on the next £125,000, and 12% on the remaining £150,000, totalling £45,500.

When is SDLT paid?

SDLT is due within 14 days of completion of the purchase. The buyer's conveyancer files the SDLT return and pays the tax to HMRC on the buyer's behalf, usually from the funds already held in the conveyancer's client account. Late filing triggers a £100 penalty and interest accrues on unpaid tax.

SDLT is not paid in one slice on the headline price. Buyers who think they will pay '5% on a £400,000 house' usually overestimate the bill by several thousand pounds.

How does ValuQ help on the buying side?

ValuQ is a UK platform that gives homeowners side-by-side valuations from competing local estate agents, free, without revealing the seller's identity until they choose. While the platform is built around the seller, the buying side benefits from the same anti-overvaluation effect: a seller who priced through ValuQ has a calibrated asking price, so the buyer's stamp duty bill is grounded in a realistic figure rather than an inflated one.

Frequently asked questions

Stamp duty is the single largest cash cost in buying a UK home after the deposit, and most buyers underestimate it. The bands are public, the calculation is mechanical; the only question worth asking before making an offer is what the final bill will actually be.