Autumn Budget 2026 stamp duty: current SDLT rates for property buyers

The GOV.UK papers we reviewed do not set out any Autumn Budget 2026 property stamp duty changes, so this guide covers the rules that apply to buyers in England and Northern Ireland today. Anything announced in the Budget would alter them, and the date it takes effect will matter as much as the rate. Until then, the published rules are the best guide to what a purchase will cost.

Scotland and Wales are not covered, because both have their own devolved land transaction taxes.

What stamp duty rates apply now

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is charged on slices of the price, not on the whole amount. According to GOV.UK, a buyer whose new home will be the only residential property they own pays nothing on the first £125,000, 2% on the next £125,000, 5% on the portion from £250,001 to £925,000, 10% from £925,001 to £1.5 million and 12% above that.

First-time buyers get a separate relief. GOV.UK says they pay no SDLT up to £300,000 and 5% on the portion from £300,001 to £500,000. If the price is over £500,000 the relief is lost entirely and the standard rates apply, and every person buying must be a first-time buyer to claim it.

The most recent change in the papers was announced at Autumn Budget 2024. For purchases with an effective date, usually completion, on or after 31 October 2024, the higher rates on additional homes went from 3 to 5 percentage points above the standard rates. The government’s own impact note says contracts exchanged before that date but completed after it may be covered by transitional rules.

Who pays more, who pays less

The extra charge falls on people buying second homes and buy-to-let properties, and on companies. The impact note says the aim is to "disincentivise the acquisition of second homes and buy-to-let properties, freeing up housing stock for main home and first-time buyers". For companies and other non-natural persons buying a home worth more than £500,000, the single rate rose from 15% to 17%.

Buyers who are not UK resident for SDLT purposes pay a further 2% surcharge in England and Northern Ireland. That applies if they were not in the UK for at least 183 days in the 12 months before the purchase, and it sits on top of any other rates that apply.

The Treasury expects the 2024 change to raise money. The figures below are in the impact note, which says they appear in the Autumn Budget 2024 documents and were certified by the Office for Budget Responsibility.

A worked example: the same £300,000 home, three buyers

Take a £300,000 purchase in England. Using the GOV.UK rates, a mover who will own only this property pays £0 on the first £125,000, £2,500 on the next £125,000 and £2,500 on the last £50,000, a total of £5,000. A first-time buyer pays nothing, because the price is within the £300,000 threshold.

Someone buying the same home as an additional property pays the 5% surcharge on the whole price on top of the standard bill. That is £15,000 plus £5,000, or £20,000. Before 31 October 2024 the surcharge was 3 percentage points, which would have been £9,000 on this price, so the increase adds £6,000 to the surcharge.

The first-time buyer cut-off is sharp. GOV.UK’s own example puts the bill on a £500,000 first-time purchase at £10,000. At £550,000 the relief disappears, and the standard rates give £17,500, which is £7,500 more for a £50,000 higher price.

What to do now

Start with the date. SDLT is usually fixed by the effective date, normally completion, so a purchase that completes after any Budget change may be taxed differently from one that completes before it. If you are exchanging contracts soon, ask your conveyancer to confirm which rules apply and whether transitional provisions are relevant.

Next, work out the figure for your own purchase with the official SDLT calculator on GOV.UK, and include it in your budget for deposit and fees. If you are buying with someone else, check that all buyers qualify as first-time buyers before assuming the relief applies.

If you are moving home and have not yet sold, check the replacement rule. You avoid the extra 5% if the new property replaces your main residence and the old one was sold within 36 months of completing the new purchase. If you have not sold on the day you complete, you pay the higher rates up front and may then be able to claim a refund.

Your questions answered

Is stamp duty changing in the Budget?

The GOV.UK papers we reviewed contain no stamp duty measures for Autumn Budget 2026. The latest change they describe was announced at Autumn Budget 2024 and applied from 31 October 2024. Any new announcement would need to be checked against its start date and any transitional rules.

How much stamp duty on a 300k house?

On the current rates in England and Northern Ireland, £5,000 for someone who will own only that property. A first-time buyer pays nothing, and a buyer of an additional property pays £20,000 including the 5% surcharge.

Can I avoid paying stamp duty on a second home?

The sources set out no way of avoiding it. The extra 5% does not apply when you are replacing your main residence and sell the old one within 36 months of completing the new purchase. In other cases buying a second home or buy-to-let means paying the higher rates.