If you qualify for first-time buyer relief, no stamp duty would be due at this price.
| Band | Rate | Tax on this band |
|---|---|---|
| £0 to £300,000 | 0% | £0 |
Total stamp duty
£0
Effective rate: 0.00%
These figures are for guidance only and apply to purchases in England and Northern Ireland. If you are buying in Wales, Land Transaction Tax applies instead. Higher rates apply if you will own more than one property. This is an estimate, not tax advice. Check HMRC guidance on GOV.UK, and your solicitor or conveyancer will confirm the exact figure for your purchase.
Important note:
These calculations use the rates in force from April 2025. Stamp duty rates can change at future Budgets. Always confirm the current position with your solicitor or conveyancer before exchanging contracts. They will include the exact stamp duty figure in your completion statement.
Worked examples
First-time buyer, £280,000: £0 stamp duty
No stamp duty. The whole price is within the £300,000 nil rate band for first-time buyers.
First-time buyer, £400,000: £5,000 stamp duty
5% on the £100,000 between £300,001 and £400,000.
First-time buyer, £550,000: £17,500 stamp duty
Above £500,000, so standard rates apply: 2% on £125,001 to £250,000 (£2,500) plus 5% on £250,001 to £550,000 (£15,000).
Stamp duty is one cost. There are plenty more.
Legal fees, searches, surveys, mortgage fees and moving costs all add up. First Key Home walks you through every cost and every stage of buying, in plain English.
Stamp duty questions
Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty?
In England and Northern Ireland, first-time buyers who qualify for relief pay no stamp duty on the first £300,000 of a purchase, and 5% on the part between £300,001 and £500,000. If the price is over £500,000, first-time buyer relief does not apply and standard rates apply to the whole price.
Who counts as a first-time buyer?
You, and anyone you are buying with, must never have owned a home anywhere in the world, including one you inherited, and you must intend to live in the property as your main home. If one buyer has owned before, the relief does not apply to the purchase.
Read the GOV.UK guide to first-time buyers' reliefWhen is stamp duty paid?
It is usually due within 14 days of completion. Your solicitor or conveyancer normally files the return and pays it for you, using money you send them before completion, so it appears on your completion statement.
What about buying in Wales?
Wales has its own tax, Land Transaction Tax, with different bands and no separate first-time buyer relief. This calculator is for England and Northern Ireland.
General information, not legal or financial advice. Rates can change at a Budget, so always check HMRC guidance on GOV.UK and confirm the position for your purchase with your solicitor or conveyancer before you exchange contracts. Rates checked after the Budget on 28 October 2026: no change for first-time buyers.