Instant, accurate figures for property transaction tax and mortgage repayments — no sign-up, no spreadsheet, updated for current rates in every UK nation.
SDLT (Stamp Duty Land Tax) applies in England & Northern Ireland, LBTT (Land and Buildings Transaction Tax) in Scotland, and LTT (Land Transaction Tax) in Wales — three different taxes on the same thing: buying property.
Whichever UK nation you're buying in, you only pay the higher rate on the slice of the price that falls within each band, the same way income tax works. Switch nations above to see how the steps change. Your property's price determines how far up the stairs you go — but you're only charged the step-rate for the portion in that step.
| Property price | Home mover | First-time buyer |
|---|---|---|
| £150,000 | £500 | £0 |
| £200,000 | £1,500 | £0 |
| £250,000 | £2,500 | £0 |
| £300,000 | £5,000 | £0 |
| £400,000 | £10,000 | £5,000 |
| £500,000 | £15,000 | £10,000 |
First-time buyer relief disappears entirely above £500,000 — standard rates then apply to the full price. For Scotland or Wales figures, or an additional-property purchase, use the calculator above.
Short, practical explainers that go beyond what the calculator alone can tell you.
Why the deposit that qualifies you and the one that gets a good rate differ.
A worked example showing what happens to your payment if rates move.
Usually not — but one common situation genuinely can trigger it.
The real mechanics, a worked example, and the myths that cause confusion.
What happened during the COVID-era holiday, and why waiting for another is risky.
What actually happens if you miss a payment, and the real options before repossession.
What it costs, what to rule out first, and how it can clear an existing mortgage.
Usually yes — how it works, and what it actually costs over the term.
Legal fees, surveys, Land Registry, and moving costs — the full list.
What happens at each stage, and what commonly causes delays.
Why one buyer's property history can affect the whole purchase.
When you don't pay at all, the 2% non-resident surcharge, and how shared ownership tax works.
What to arrange before moving day, when you'll get the keys, and every organisation to tell.
Before an offer is even accepted, two figures decide whether a purchase is viable: the one-off tax bill due on completion (stamp duty), and the recurring monthly cost of the debt (the mortgage). Everything else in a purchase — surveys, legal fees, removals — is comparatively small and predictable. Get these two numbers right early and there are no unpleasant surprises at exchange.
Buying a second home, a buy-to-let, or any property while already owning another triggers a surcharge of 5 percentage points on top of standard rates, on the entire price — not just the amount above the first threshold. This applies even if the additional property is the cheaper of the two.
Yes — up to £300,000, first-time buyers pay no stamp duty at all. Between £300,001 and £500,000, they pay 5% on the portion above £300,000. Above £500,000, the relief is lost entirely and standard rates apply to the full price.
Usually separately, and upfront — most buyers pay it via their solicitor on completion day, out of their own funds. That said, many lenders will let you add stamp duty to the mortgage itself if you'd rather borrow it than pay cash — see our guide to adding stamp duty to your mortgage for how that works and what it costs over the term.
It depends on the price and your buyer status. Standard rates are 0% up to £125,000, 2% on the next £125,000, 5% up to £925,000, 10% up to £1.5m, and 12% above that. First-time buyers pay 0% up to £300,000 and 5% up to £500,000 (with relief lost entirely above that). Additional properties add a 5-percentage-point surcharge on the full price. See the price-point table above for common examples, or use the calculator for your exact figure.
Yes — use the nation tabs above the calculator. Scotland charges Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Wales charges Land Transaction Tax (LTT), both with different bands and rates to SDLT, and both are built into the calculator. We also have dedicated Scotland LBTT and Wales LTT calculator pages if you only need one nation.
Sometimes. Negotiating the purchase price reduces tax proportionally, first-time buyers and (in England and Northern Ireland) buyers under £500,000 may qualify for relief, and a small number of exemptions mean no tax is due at all — see our guides on reducing stamp duty on a second home and stamp duty exemptions and special cases for what genuinely works.
Rates move with the base rate and lender margins, so check a current best-buy table before relying on the default figure — the calculator will do the maths correctly for any rate you enter.
These figures are estimates. A broker can confirm your real rate and borrowing limit in minutes, based on your circumstances.