
Stamp Duty Calculator
Plus full Q&A, incl full info on stamp duty holiday up to £500,000
Stamp duty can add £10,000s to a homebuyer's costs, but temporary, coronavirus-related changes across the UK mean many WON'T have to pay it. This guide's got all you need to know about how stamp duty works and when you'll need to pay it, while it also includes a free stamp duty calculator.
Note: We're using stamp duty as a generic term here for ease because that is what so many people refer to it as – we know that it's called something different in Scotland (land and buildings transaction tax) and Wales (land transaction tax).
What is stamp duty?
When you buy a property or land you usually pay tax on it. While often referred to as stamp duty, that's only the name in England and Northern Ireland – it's different in Scotland and Wales, where it's known as 'land and buildings transaction tax' and 'land transaction tax' respectively.
Since 2014, all the home nations have had a progressive stamp duty rate system. This means that instead of paying a single rate on the ENTIRE property price, depending on the cost of the property you're buying you might end up paying one rate on a certain portion of the property and a different rate on another.
Calculate stamp duty
The rate of stamp duty you'll pay depends on where in the UK you're buying a property. England and Northern Ireland have the same rates, while Scotland and Wales use different rate bandings.
This calculator shows how much stamp duty is due on a MAIN RESIDENCE ONLY (excluding buy-to-let and additional properties), based on where you're buying.
Click the relevant tab for where in the UK you're buying.
For the standard rates once the temporary changes end on 31 March 2021, see below for England and Northern Ireland and Scotland and Wales.
Stamp duty – what's changed since coronavirus?
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, there have been some sweeping changes to stamp duty in England and Northern Ireland, land and buildings transaction tax in Scotland, and land transaction tax in Wales.
Across the UK, the threshold at which you start paying stamp duty (or land and buildings transaction tax/land transaction tax) has increased significantly. In short:
- In England and Northern Ireland, there is now no stamp duty on the first £500,000 of any primary residential property.
- In Scotland and Wales, the threshold on a primary residence has increased to £250,000.
- All of these changes will last until 31 March.
You need to have completed by 31 March to benefit from the stamp duty holiday. If you exchange on or before 31 March, but complete after 31 March, then you'll have missed the deadline and will need to pay the normal rate of stamp duty. This applies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
How much stamp duty will a first-time buyer now pay?
First-time buyers across the UK will benefit from the stamp duty holiday in the same way as other homebuyers will, as detailed above.
That means first-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland won't pay stamp duty on the first £500,000 of a main residential property, while in Scotland and Wales no land and buildings transaction tax or land transaction tax is due on the first £250,000 of a property.
From 1 April, first-time buyer stamp duty rates are set to return to their pre-coronavirus thresholds (more on this below).
In England and Northern Ireland, no stamp duty is due on the first £500,000 of a property (provided it's your main residence, it excludes additional properties).
Here are the stamp duty rates:
Stamp duty in England and Northern Ireland (until 31 March) | ||
---|---|---|
PURCHASE PRICE | RATE ON MAIN RESIDENCE (1) |
RATE FOR ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES (2) |
Up to £500,000 | 0% | 3% |
£500,001 – £925,000 | 5% | 8% |
£925,001 – £1,500,000 | 10% | 13% |
£1,500,001 + | 12% | 15% |
(1) Rate applies to that portion of the purchase price. (2) Additional properties bought for less than £40,000 will be charged the main residence rate of stamp duty. |
1. Let's assume you're buying a property for £450,000...
You pay nothing below £500,000.So this means you'll pay no stamp duty at all.
2. Let's assume you're buying a property for £650,000...
You pay nothing below £500,000.
You pay 5% on between £500,000 and £925,000, which is £7,500 on a £650,000 property.
So in total, this means you'll pay £7,500.
People buying an additional property (ie, in addition to any they already own) that costs more than £40,000 are subject to the higher stamp duty rate. So if you bought a second home worth £100,000, you would pay 3% stamp duty on the £100,000 purchase price (see the table above).
It's not actually called stamp duty in Scotland anymore. A reform brought in by the Scottish Government in April 2015 means it's now referred to as 'land and buildings transaction tax' (LBTT).
However, while the name's changed, the principle hasn't. It's still a lump-sum tax that anyone buying a property or land costing more than a set amount has to pay. And it's a remarkably similar system to the one the rest of the UK uses, the main difference is the thresholds it uses are at different rates.
Like in England and Northern Ireland, the Scottish Government has increased the threshold at which you start paying land and buildings transaction tax because of coronavirus – a change that will last until 31 March. Here's an example of how the temporary Scottish system works, for a property priced priced at £400,000.
You pay nothing below £250,000.
You pay 5% on between £250,001 and £325,000, which is £3,750.
You pay 10% on between £325,001 and £400,000, which is £7,500.
So in total, this means you'll pay £11,250 (£0 + £3,750 + £7,500).
If you're a first-time buyer, these same rules and rates also apply.
Land & buildings transaction tax rate (until 31 March) | ||
---|---|---|
PURCHASE PRICE | RATE ON MAIN RESIDENCE |
RATE FOR ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES (1) |
Up to £250,000 | 0% | 4% (but 6% between £145,001 and £250,000) |
£250,001 – £325,000 | 5% | 9% |
£325,001 – £750,000 | 10% | 14% |
£750,001 + | 12% | 16% |
(1) Additional properties bought for less than £40,000 will be charged the main residence rate of stamp duty. |
The Welsh Revenue Authority (WRA) is responsible for collecting and managing land transaction tax (LTT) in Wales.
LTT works similarly to the old stamp duty system, but the Welsh Government has set the thresholds for the tax bands at different rates.
Similar to England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, the threshold at which you start paying land transaction tax has temporarily increased in response to coronavirus, so until 31 March you won't pay any on the first £250,000 of a main residential property.
Land transaction tax rate (until 31 March) | ||
---|---|---|
PURCHASE PRICE | RATE ON MAIN RESIDENCE |
RATE FOR ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES |
Up to £250,000 | 0% | 4% (but 7.5% between £180,001 and £250,000) |
£250,001 – £400,000 | 5% | 9% |
£400,001 – £750,000 | 7.5% | 11.5% |
£750,001 – £1,500,000 | 10% | 14% |
£1,500,001 + | 12% | 16% |
Here's an example of how the Welsh system will work until April, for a single residential property priced at £300,000 and filed at main rates.
You pay nothing below £250,000.
You pay 5% on between £250,001 and £300,000, which is £2,500.
So in total, this means you'll pay £2,500 (£0 + £2,500).
How and when do I pay stamp duty?

The crucial thing to know is that, if you're buying in England or Northern Ireland, you have 14 days from the date of completion/date of entry (when all the contracts are signed and dated and you get the keys – read our Buying a Home guide for a full timeline) to pay stamp duty or transaction tax. Take longer, and you could face a fine and possibly interest on top, so don't!
Buyers used to have 30 days to pay stamp duty, but new legislation reducing this to 14 came into effect in March 2019.
In reality, your solicitor will probably sort this out and push you to pay the bill straightaway – in fact, most tend to want their cash before completing the property purchase for you, just in case you then can't or don't pay them.
However, it's legally your responsibility to ensure your stamp duty/transaction tax is paid. If you are doing this yourself, click the questions to see the process.
Can I add stamp duty to my mortgage?
The simple answer here is that it's best that you don't, but many people find that they have to.
To add the cost of stamp duty to your loan means a bigger mortgage debt. So, say you needed a £180,000 mortgage to purchase a house costing £300,000, but wanted to add the stamp duty, you'd need to request borrowing of £185,000 (in England, Wales or Northern Ireland), then use your 'extra' deposit money to pay the stamp duty.
There are two main things to consider here. Firstly, as mortgages tend to be taken out over a long term (25 years or more), that's normally how long the stamp duty borrowing will last too. Over a 25-year term at a rate of 5%, that extra £5,000 borrowing will cost around £8,500 in interest, so it's vital to be aware of the cost.
Secondly, this could affect your loan-to-value ratio (LTV) – the measure of how much of a property's value you are borrowing. The most competitive deals require a maximum LTV of 60% – yet in the example above, adding the stamp duty would push you from 60% to almost 62%, so be careful – speak to a mortgage broker to see if it's the right decision.
Ready to get a mortgage? We've lots more guides, tools & tips to help…
- Mortgage Best Buys. Speedily finds your top mortgage deals.
- First-Time Buyers' Guide. Free PDF helps you take your first step on to the property ladder.
- Remortgage Guide. Our free PDF has tips on when remortgaging's right, plus how to grab top deals.


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