Stamp duty
How much stamp duty will I pay in 2025/26?
Stamp duty is transaction tax on residential property. You pay nothing on the slice below the first threshold, then progressively higher rates on amounts above. The total is the sum of tax on each slice — not one flat percentage of the whole price. That slice-by-slice structure catches many first-time buyers by surprise.
On a £350,000 main home in England, standard residential SDLT bands apply slice by slice. First-time buyers get relief up to a price cap; above that cap, standard rates apply to the full price.
Scotland and Wales use LBTT and LTT with their own bands and surcharges. Second homes and buy-to-let purchases usually attract an additional-property surcharge in all three nations.
First-time buyers
In England and Northern Ireland, relief applies if every buyer on the purchase is a first-time buyer and the price is £500,000 or less. Above £500,000 you cannot claim relief — standard rates apply from the first £125,000.
Joint purchases need every purchaser to qualify. Scotland and Wales have separate first-time buyer rules.
Work through your price
A band breakdown by nation and buyer type shows how much falls in each slice. Stamp duty is only part of the upfront bill — repayments and running costs sit alongside it when you model the full purchase.
Try your scenario
Change the inputs on the calculator — price, nation, or buyer type — and see how the numbers respond.
Estimate stamp duty for your pricePalta Money is for education and planning only. It is not regulated financial advice. Tax rules and rates change; confirm figures with official sources or a qualified adviser before you commit.