Stamp duty (often typed as “stamp dity”) depends on where you’re buying, the price of the property, and whether you’re a first‑time buyer or buying an additional property.

What is stamp duty?

Stamp duty is a tax you usually pay when you buy property or land, mainly in the UK (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland).

You pay it as a percentage of the purchase price, with different “bands” (slices of the price) charged at different rates.

Rough 2026 rates in the UK

England & Northern Ireland – main home (SDLT)

You pay different rates on portions of the price:

  • Up to £125,000 – 0%.
  • £125,001 to £250,000 – 2% on this slice.
  • £250,001 to £925,000 – 5% on this slice.
  • £925,001 to £1,500,000 – 10% on this slice.
  • Over £1,500,000 – 12% on this slice.

If it’s a second home or buy‑to‑let, there is typically a 3–5 percentage‑point surcharge on top of the standard bands, and non‑UK residents can pay extra again.

First‑time buyers (England & NI)

  • First‑time buyer relief applies up to a set threshold; above that, normal rates kick in.
  • As of the recent changes, the “nil‑rate” first‑time buyer band is lower than it was in 2022–23, meaning some first‑time buyers now pay more than they did previously.

Scotland – LBTT

Scottish land and buildings transaction tax (LBTT) has its own bands:

  • Up to £145,000 – 0%.
  • £145,001 to £250,000 – 2%.
  • £250,001 to £325,000 – 5%.
  • £325,001 to £750,000 – 10%.
  • Over £750,000 – 12%.

An extra “Additional Dwelling Supplement” of around 8% applies to second homes on top of the above bands.

Wales – LTT

Wales has Land Transaction Tax (LTT), with different thresholds:

  • Up to £225,000 – 0%.
  • £225,001 to £400,000 – 6%.
  • £400,001 to £750,000 – 7.5%.
  • £750,001 to £1,500,000 – 10%.
  • Over £1,500,000 – 12%.

Higher rates apply to second homes (for example, starting around 5% up to £180,000, then rising in steps to 17% on the top slice).

Quick example (England main home)

Say you buy a home in England for £300,000:

  • First £125,000 at 0% → £0.
  • Next £125,000 (to £250,000) at 2% → £2,500.
  • Remaining £50,000 (to £300,000) at 5% → £2,500.

Total stamp duty would be £5,000.

Handy next steps

  • Use an online stamp duty calculator for your exact price and location (England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland).
  • Check if you’re a first‑time buyer or buying an additional property, as that changes the rate bands and any surcharges you pay.

“Stamp duty” can also refer to charges for postage or digital stamp‑making tools, but in most property and money discussions people mean the UK property tax described above.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.