How much stamp duty do I pay on a £500,000 house?
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On a £500,000 main home at standard rates you pay £15,000: 0% on the first £125,000, 2% on the next £125,000 (£2,500) and 5% on the next £250,000 (£12,500). A first-time buyer pays £10,000, and someone buying an additional property pays £40,000 with the 5% surcharge.
What are the SDLT rates from 1 April 2025?
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For England and Northern Ireland: 0% up to £125,000, 2% from £125,001 to £250,000, 5% from £250,001 to £925,000, 10% from £925,001 to £1.5 million, and 12% above £1.5 million. SDLT is tiered, so each rate applies only to the slice of the price within that band.
What is the first-time buyer stamp duty relief?
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First-time buyers pay 0% up to £300,000 and 5% on the portion from £300,001 to £500,000. The relief is withdrawn entirely if the purchase price is more than £625,000, in which case standard rates apply to the whole price.
What is the additional property surcharge?
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If buying the property means you will own more than one residential property, a 5% surcharge is added on top of every standard band. It commonly applies to second homes and buy-to-lets. It does not apply when you are replacing your main residence and have sold the previous one.
Is there a stamp duty surcharge for non-UK residents?
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Yes. Non-UK residents pay a 2% surcharge on top of all other residential SDLT rates, including the additional-property surcharge. Whether you count as UK resident for SDLT depends on days spent in the UK around the purchase, which differs from the income-tax residence test.
Do the additional-property and non-resident surcharges stack?
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Yes. A non-UK resident buying an additional property pays standard rates plus 5% plus 2% — a 7% loading across every band. For high-value purchases this materially changes the numbers, so model it before you commit.
Does this SDLT calculator cover Scotland and Wales?
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No. Scotland charges Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Wales charges Land Transaction Tax (LTT), each with its own bands and reliefs. This calculator covers England and Northern Ireland only.
How is stamp duty calculated — is it a flat percentage?
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No. SDLT is tiered like income tax: each band's rate applies only to the part of the price within that band, not the whole price. That is why the effective rate shown by the calculator is always lower than the top band you reach.
When do I have to pay stamp duty?
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You must file an SDLT return and pay within 14 days of completion. In practice your conveyancer usually handles the return and collects the tax from you at completion, but the legal responsibility to file is yours.
Do I pay stamp duty on a buy-to-let?
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Yes, and usually with the 5% additional-property surcharge because you will typically own more than one residential property. On a £300,000 buy-to-let the surcharge alone adds £15,000 to the bill, so it is central to the numbers on any rental investment.
How does SDLT affect a US citizen buying UK property?
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SDLT is a UK purchase tax with no US equivalent and no US credit for it. More importantly, the US will tax any later gain on the property and treats a foreign mortgage very differently, so a UK purchase needs planning on both sides — not just the SDLT figure.
Can I avoid the additional-property surcharge if I am replacing my home?
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If you buy a new main residence before selling your old one you pay the surcharge up front, but you can reclaim it if you sell the previous main residence within 36 months. The timing and the reclaim window are strict, so keep the paperwork.
Is stamp duty due on the mortgage or the purchase price?
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SDLT is charged on the chargeable consideration — normally the purchase price you pay for the property — not on the mortgage amount. Linked transactions, fixtures and certain lease terms can change the chargeable amount, which is where advice helps.
Is this stamp duty estimate suitable for high-value purchases?
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It gives an accurate figure for a straightforward residential purchase. Above roughly £1.5 million, or where companies, trusts, mixed-use property or non-resident status are involved, the rules and surcharges get complex — book a consultation to confirm before you exchange.
