Stamp duty isn't one tax — it's three, depending on where in the UK you're buying. England and Northern Ireland charge Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), Scotland charges Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT), and Wales charges Land Transaction Tax (LTT). Rates, thresholds, and reliefs differ across all three. Use the calculator above with your location selected to get an exact figure.
How Stamp Duty Is Calculated
All three taxes work on a banded system — you pay increasing rates on the portion of the price that falls into each band, similar to how income tax works. There's no single flat percentage of the total price.
First-Time Buyer Relief
England, Scotland, and Wales each offer some relief for first-time buyers, usually a higher nil-rate threshold before tax kicks in. This can save several thousand pounds, but eligibility rules (and price caps above which relief no longer applies) vary by nation — select your buyer status in the calculator to apply this correctly.
Additional Property Surcharge
If you're buying a second home or buy-to-let property, all three nations add a surcharge on top of standard rates — typically an extra few percentage points across every band. This applies even if you're replacing your main residence, in certain circumstances, so it's worth double-checking your specific case.