Stamp duty calculator: Exactly how much more tax homeowners and first-time buyers will pay from April 1

Home buyers have just weeks left to complete on their house sales before major stamp duty changes come into force

11:05, 12 Mar 2025

Buyers are being urged to act fast to beat the stamp duty land tax deadline(Image: Getty Images)

Anyone buying a house from April 1 could be forced to pay much more in stamp duty - but how much more tax you'll pay depends on a few factors. You pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) when you buy a residential property, whether that be a house or flat.

However there is a threshold when SDLT starts to apply, which depends on the pri ce of the house you are buying. If you purchase a property priced at less than the threshold, then you are exempt from paying the tax.

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There are also different rates of SDLT depending on whether you are a first time buyer, and if the home you're purchasing will be your main residence or a second property.

Currently, home buyers only pay stamp duty on a residential property that costs more than £250,000. However, if you are a first time buyer, you won't pay any stamp duty tax on homes priced up to £425,000.

But from April 1, the current thresholds are set to change, which will impact millions of home buyers across the UK.

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Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a one-off payment you need to make when buying property over a certain value.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a payment you make when buying a property over a certain value

This last day to complete on your house sale before the major changes come into force is March 31 - but new figures from Rightmove say 74,000 buyers in England will miss this deadline and be forced to pay more tax.

How is stamp duty changing?

Rates for current homeowners from 1 April 2025:

From April 1, any current homeowner who is buying a new property will see the threshold drop from £250,000 down to £125,000. This means that anyone who buys a home valued from £125,001 will now have to pay stamp duty.

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They will then pay 2 percent SDLT on the portion from £125,001 to £250,000, 5 percent on the portion from £250,001 to £925,000, 10 percent on the portion from £925,001 to £1.5 million and 12 percent on the portion above £1.5 million.

For example, in April if you buy a house for £295,000, the SDLT you owe will be calculated as follows:

0% on the first £125,000 = £0
2% on the second £125,000 = £2,500
5% on the final £45,000 = £2,250
total SDLT = £4,750

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More first-time buyers will have to pay stamp duty from April(Image: PA)

Rates for first-time buyers from April 1 2025:

If you are a first-time buyer, you will now have to pay stamp duty if you buy a property priced from £300,001. This has dropped down from the current threshold of £425,000, meaning many more first-time homeowners will now have to pay stamp duty tax.

You’ll pay:

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no SDLT up to £300,000
5% SDLT on the portion from £300,001 to £500,000

For example, if you are a first-time buyer and purchase a home for £500,000, the SDLT you owe will be calculated as:

0% on the first £300,000 = £0
5% on the remaining £200,000 = £10,000
total SDLT = £10,000

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If the price of the property you are buying is more than £500,000, you cannot claim the first-time buyer relief. You must then follow the rules for people who’ve bought a home before.

Use our stamp duty calculator below to find out exactly much more stamp duty tax you will pay from April 1:

This calculator is for properties in England and Northern Ireland. There is a different stamp duty system for Scotland and Wales.