If you’re planning on buying a home or piece of land in England or Northern Ireland, you may be required to pay Stamp Duty Land Tax.
For UK residents buying residential properties in England and Northern Ireland on or after 23rd September 2022.
Frequently asked questions
Stamp duty is a type of tax you may have to pay if you buy a property in England or Northern Ireland. It is also known as Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).
Both Scotland and Wales have their own versions of stamp duty, known as Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Land Transaction Tax (LTT).
The amount you may need to pay is based on stamp duty bands, and where your property price falls within those bands.
The amount of stamp duty you pay is determined by the thresholds that are set by the government. If the value of your property is less than the base threshold, you won’t need to pay any stamp duty. If your property exceeds other thresholds, you may need to pay more.
As it currently stands, you should expect to pay 5% on any amount over £250,000. For example, if you buy a £295,000 house, you'd pay 5% of £45,000. That means you'd pay £2,250.
If you're a first-time buyer, you won't pay stamp duty tax on primary residential properties worth up to £425,000. For properties costing up to £625,000, you won't be required to pay stamp duty on the first £425,000. You will however pay 5% stamp duty tax on the remaining amount, up to £200,000.
The threshold amounts are due to change in April 2025.
If you need to pay stamp duty tax on your property purchase, you have within 14 days of completion to file a Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) return.
Your solicitor will usually file your return and pay the tax on your behalf, and add the amount to their fees. If this is not the case, you can file a return to HMRC and pay the tax yourself. If you don’t submit a return and pay your stamp duty tax within 14 days of completion, HMRC may charge you penalties and interest.
While it is common for the solicitor carrying out your conveyancing to pay the tax on your behalf, it is your responsibility to make sure that the stamp duty is paid.
Stamp duty explained
Learn more about:
- Who pays stamp duty
- Stamp duty thresholds
- Adding stamp duty to your mortgage
Work out your next move
Use our mortgage affordability and repayment calculators to see how much you could borrow for your new home and what your monthly repayments might look like.
Mortgage affordability calculator
Mortgage repayment calculator
Buying property in Scotland or Wales?
If you’re looking to buy property in Scotland or Wales, use our free Land and Buildings Transaction Tax and Land Transaction Tax calculators to work out how much tax you will pay.