Stamp Duty (SDLT) Calculator

For standard residential purchases in England and Northern Ireland, SDLT is charged at the following marginal rates: 0% on the first £250,000 of the purchase price; 5% on the portion between £250,001 and £925,000; 10% on the portion between £925,001 and £1.5m; and 12% on everything above £1.5m.

These rates apply to the main home of an individual buyer. The nil-rate band was temporarily raised to £250,000 from £125,000 as part of the September 2022 stamp duty cut, and this threshold became permanent from April 2025. The 10% and 12% bands at the top end of the market mean that buyers of high-value London and Home Counties properties face significant SDLT bills — the maximum marginal rate on a £2m purchase, for example, is 12% on the top £500,000.

Non-residential and mixed-use SDLT rates are lower: 0% up to £150,000; 2% from £150,001 to £250,000; and 5% above £250,000. This rate differential is why mixed-use claims are so valuable for properties that span residential and commercial use.

If you are buying a residential property and you already own one or more residential properties anywhere in the world, an additional surcharge applies on top of the standard rates. From 31 October 2024, this surcharge increased from 3% to 5%, meaning every rate band is effectively 5 percentage points higher for additional property purchases.

The higher rates for additional dwellings apply to landlords, second home buyers, and developers who purchase in their personal name while owning other residential property. They also apply to company purchases of residential property — a company is assumed to own additional properties if any of its shareholders own residential property, which catches many developers who operate through limited companies.

There is a relief mechanism: if you sell your previous main residence within three years of buying a new one, you can apply for a refund of the additional property surcharge. This applies to home movers who briefly own two properties rather than investors, and HMRC processes these claims through the SDLT return amendment process.

First-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland benefit from a higher nil-rate threshold. The first £425,000 of a purchase price attracts 0% SDLT, and the rate of 5% applies on the portion between £425,001 and £625,000. Above £625,000, the standard rates apply in full with no first-time buyer relief.

To qualify, both buyers must be first-time buyers — a couple where one partner has previously owned property does not qualify. The relief applies to purchases of a single residential property intended as the buyer's main residence. Buy-to-let purchases by first-time buyers do not qualify.

Multiple Dwellings Relief (MDR) was abolished in June 2024 for transactions completing on or after 1 June 2024. MDR previously allowed buyers purchasing multiple residential properties in a single transaction to calculate SDLT on the average price per dwelling rather than the total price, which could reduce the liability significantly on portfolio purchases or transactions involving flats with ancillary dwellings. Its removal increases the SDLT cost on these transactions materially, and structures that previously relied on MDR need to be reconsidered.

Companies purchasing residential properties worth £500,000 or more face an additional levy: the Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED), which is a separate annual charge. Residential properties held through companies — 'enveloped dwellings' — face ATED charges ranging from approximately £4,150 per year for properties valued at £500,000–£1m, to over £244,000 per year for properties worth more than £20m.

The 15% flat SDLT rate applies where a company buys a single residential property worth over £500,000 in a single transaction. This is specifically designed to discourage enveloping residential property in corporate structures. However, there are exemptions for genuine property development, property trading, and portfolio landlords meeting certain conditions. Any company purchasing residential property above this threshold should take specific SDLT advice before exchange.

Mixed-use claims remain a legitimate planning consideration for properties that include both residential and non-residential elements — a farmhouse with agricultural buildings, a property above commercial premises, or a residential property with a planning condition permitting commercial use. If a successful mixed-use claim can be made, the non-residential SDLT rates apply to the whole transaction, often saving tens of thousands of pounds. However, HMRC has challenged aggressive mixed-use claims and there is a body of case law defining the boundaries. Seek specialist advice rather than assuming a claim will succeed.