UK Stamp Duty Calculator

What this calculator does. It estimates the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) you'll pay on a residential property in England or Northern Ireland, applies first-time buyer relief automatically where it's available, and adds the 5% surcharge if you'll own more than one property after completion. The result includes a band-by-band breakdown so you can see exactly how the figure is built up.

How SDLT is calculated. Stamp Duty is banded, not flat. You only pay each rate on the slice of the price that falls in that band — not the whole price. Standard rates are 0% to £125,000, 2% to £250,000, 5% to £925,000, 10% to £1.5m and 12% above. First-time buyers get a 0% band up to £300,000 and 5% on £300,000–£500,000, but lose all relief above £500,000. Additional properties add 5% to every band.

A worked example. Buying a £350,000 home as a mover, you pay nothing on the first £125,000, 2% on the next £125,000 (£2,500) and 5% on the remaining £100,000 (£5,000) — £7,500 in total. As a first-time buyer, the same property attracts 0% on the first £300,000 and 5% on the remaining £50,000, so just £2,500. As an additional purchase (buy-to-let or second home), you'd add 5% across every band, taking the bill to £25,000.

Why this matters. SDLT is usually the second-largest cash cost of buying after the deposit — easy to overlook until completion looms. Knowing it early shapes everything: how much deposit you really need in the bank, whether to push for a lower offer to slip under a threshold, and whether a buy-to-let still stacks up after the surcharge.

When to use it / when not to. Use it for any standard residential purchase in England or Northern Ireland. For Scotland use LBTT and for Wales use LTT — they're banded similarly but with different thresholds. Commercial property, mixed-use buildings and properties bought through limited companies follow different rules not covered here.

Common mistakes. Selecting "first-time buyer" when a co-buyer has previously owned (the relief is lost for everyone if any buyer fails the test); forgetting the surcharge when the old home hasn't yet sold; and assuming SDLT can be added to the mortgage — it can't, it has to be paid in cash within 14 days of completion.

Thresholds reflect SDLT rates in effect at the time of calculation. Always confirm the figure with your solicitor before exchange — rates can change at any Budget.