This calculator gives you an indicative estimate of the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on a residential purchase in England and Northern Ireland. Enter the purchase price and your buyer situation, and it shows the tax due, a band-by-band breakdown, any surcharges that apply, the total and the effective rate.
It is built for the situations our clients ask about most: standard purchases, second homes and buy-to-let (which carry the higher rate), first-time buyers (who may qualify for relief), companies and SPVs buying residential property, and buyers who are non-UK resident. It is a planning tool to help you budget and sense-check a deal early — it is not a quote, a personal illustration, or tax advice.
SDLT applies only in England and Northern Ireland. Scotland charges Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Wales charges Land Transaction Tax (LTT); those are separate taxes with their own thresholds and are not covered here.
How it works
SDLT is charged on a "slice" basis, like income tax. Each portion of the price that falls within a band is taxed at that band's rate, and the band amounts are added together — so only the part of the price above a threshold is taxed at the higher rate, not the whole price.
In words, the calculator works through these steps:
- Standard residential rates are applied band by band: a 0% band, then a 2% band, a 5% band, a 10% band and a top 12% band on the highest-value portion.
- Additional property (second home or buy-to-let): a higher rate adds 5 percentage points to every band, where the price is £40,000 or more. This higher rate applies to companies buying residential property too.
- First-time buyer relief: a more generous band structure with a larger 0% band, then a 5% band up to a cap. Above a price cap of £500,000 the relief is lost entirely, and the standard rates apply to the whole price.
- Company / non-natural person: where a company buys a single dwelling for more than £500,000, a single flat rate of 17% can apply to the whole price instead of the banded rates. Below that, the higher rates for additional dwellings apply.
- Non-UK resident surcharge: an extra 2 percentage points is added on top of whichever rates apply, where at least one buyer is non-UK resident.
The total is divided by the purchase price to give the effective rate, so you can see the overall percentage as well as the cash figure.
Rates and thresholds are set by the government and can change at a Budget. The calculator uses the published position at the time of writing, so always confirm your figure with HMRC's official calculator on gov.uk before you rely on it.
Frequently asked questions
Does this calculator cover Scotland and Wales? No. It covers SDLT for England and Northern Ireland only. Scotland uses Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Wales uses Land Transaction Tax (LTT), each with different bands and thresholds.
Why is my buy-to-let figure higher? Buying an additional residential property — such as a second home or a buy-to-let — generally attracts a higher rate, which adds a surcharge to each band where the price is £40,000 or more. The same higher rate applies to companies buying residential property, which is why an SPV purchase can carry it too.
I am a first-time buyer — will I always pay less? First-time buyer relief can reduce or remove the SDLT on lower-priced purchases, but it has a price cap: above £500,000 the relief is lost entirely and the standard rates apply to the whole price. The calculator handles this automatically, so you can see the point at which the relief no longer helps.
Is this an exact figure I can rely on? No. It is an indicative estimate to help you budget. Reliefs and special cases — for example multiple dwellings, mixed-use property, leasehold premiums or replacing a main residence within the allowed window — can change the result. Confirm your figure with HMRC's calculator on gov.uk and take advice from your conveyancer or a qualified tax adviser.
Speak to a specialist
If you are working out the numbers on a purchase — a home, a second property, a buy-to-let or a company structure — we can help you understand the financing alongside the tax, and find a workable route across more than 135 lenders. Call 020 7126 8574 or request a call back, and we aim to reply within one working day.
Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage secured on it.
Most buy-to-let mortgages are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Propertyze is a trading style of City Finance Brokers Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA No. 766295). We conduct both regulated and unregulated business, so not all products provided through us are regulated by the FCA.
The result from this calculator is indicative only. It is not a personal illustration, a quote, or tax advice, and your actual Stamp Duty may differ once your full circumstances are taken into account.