Stamp Duty Changes 2025

The temporary thresholds introduced in September 2022 expired on 31 March 2025. From 1 April 2025 the standard nil-rate threshold returned to £125,000, and — combined with the higher additional-dwelling surcharge from the October 2024 Autumn Budget — most buyers in England and Northern Ireland now pay more stamp duty than they would have a year earlier. This page sets out what changed, when, what you pay now, and what it means if you have already bought.

Last reviewed: 19 May 2026 by the StampDutyBack team. Rate figures verified against gov.uk.

Rates effective from 1 April 2025

Timeline of the 2025 changes

30 October 2024

Autumn Budget announced

The Chancellor confirmed the additional dwelling surcharge would rise from 3% to 5%, and that the temporary nil-rate thresholds would expire on 31 March 2025.

31 October 2024

5% surcharge takes effect

The additional dwelling surcharge on second homes, buy-to-let properties, and company purchases increased from 3% to 5%, applied on top of the standard rates.

31 March 2025

Temporary thresholds expire

The last day to complete a purchase under the temporary higher nil-rate thresholds (£250,000 standard; £425,000 first-time buyer).

1 April 2025

New rates take effect

The standard nil-rate threshold returned to £125,000. First-time buyer relief now covers up to £300,000 on properties worth no more than £500,000.

The 2025 stamp duty changes

The temporary stamp duty cuts introduced during 2022 — and extended through March 2025 — have ended. The changes affect every residential property buyer in England and Northern Ireland. All figures below are the SDLT rates and thresholds in force from 1 April 2025, as published by HMRC.

Standard nil-rate threshold halved

The nil-rate band returned from £250,000 to £125,000. Buyers now pay 2% on the portion between £125,001 and £250,000 where they previously paid nothing.

First-time buyer relief reduced

The nil-rate threshold dropped from £425,000 to £300,000, and the maximum property value for relief fell from £625,000 to £500,000. Above £500,000, first-time buyers get no relief and pay standard rates.

Additional dwelling surcharge increased to 5%

From 31 October 2024 the surcharge on second homes, buy-to-let properties, and company purchases rose from 3% to 5%, applied on top of the standard rates. The 3% rate had applied since 1 April 2016.

Before vs after: how much more do buyers pay?

SDLT for a standard (moving home) buyer, before and after 1 April 2025.

Price	Before Apr 2025	From Apr 2025	Increase
£200,000	£0	£1,500	+£1,500
£300,000	£2,500	£5,000	+£2,500
£400,000	£7,500	£10,000	+£2,500
£500,000	£12,500	£15,000	+£2,500
£750,000	£25,000	£27,500	+£2,500

Standard buyer rates, excluding the additional dwelling surcharge. “Before” = the temporary rates in force from 23 September 2022 to 31 March 2025.

First-time buyers: before vs after

Price	Before Apr 2025	From Apr 2025	Increase
£250,000	£0	£0	£0
£300,000	£0	£0	£0
£350,000	£0	£2,500	+£2,500
£400,000	£0	£5,000	+£5,000
£450,000	£1,250	£7,500	+£6,250
£500,000	£3,750	£10,000	+£6,250
£550,000	£6,250	£17,500	+£11,250

First-time buyer relief is lost entirely above the cap — £625,000 under the temporary rules, now £500,000 from 1 April 2025. The drop in the cap is what creates the sharp increase for first-time buyers purchasing between £500,000 and £625,000.

Current SDLT rates (from 1 April 2025)

Standard buyer

Band	Rate
£0 – £125,000	0%
£125,001 – £250,000	2%
£250,001 – £925,000	5%
£925,001 – £1,500,000	10%
£1,500,001+	12%

First-time buyer

Band	Rate
£0 – £300,000	0%
£300,001 – £500,000	5%

Property must not exceed £500,000. Above this, standard rates apply with no relief.

Calculate your stamp duty under the new rates

Enter your purchase price and see exactly what you owe. First-time buyer, standard, additional property — all covered.

Open the SDLT calculator

Who is most affected

Home movers buying between £125,000 and £250,000

Previously paid 0% on the whole price. They now pay 2% on the amount above £125,000 — a £250,000 purchase costs £2,500 more. This is the biggest proportional impact.

First-time buyers of properties between £300,000 and £500,000

The nil-rate band shrank from £425,000 to £300,000. A first-time buyer purchasing at £425,000 now pays £6,250 where they previously paid nothing.

Landlords and investors

Hit by both changes — the additional dwelling surcharge rose from 3% to 5% in October 2024, and the standard thresholds dropped in April 2025. On a £300,000 buy-to-let, the 5% surcharge alone is £15,000 — added on top of the standard SDLT bill — up from £9,000 at the old 3% rate.

Why chattels deductions matter more now

With more buyers now paying SDLT — and paying it at higher rates — the value of a correct chattels apportionment has risen. SDLT is charged on land and buildings, not on moveable items such as carpets, curtains, and free-standing white goods. Where the purchase price covers both, only the property element is taxable.

•A buyer at £200,000 previously paid no SDLT, so a chattels deduction made no difference. They now pay £1,500 — and a reasonable chattels apportionment can reduce it.
•Any purchase in the new 2% band (£125,001–£250,000) is taxed where it previously was not. Even a modest chattels deduction now produces a real saving.
•A buyer who completed before the changes may still have overpaid — the four-year window to reclaim overpaid SDLT runs from the completion date, regardless of when the rates changed.

Bottom line

The 2025 changes make it more important than ever that an SDLT return correctly apportions the price between the property and any chattels included in the sale.

Estimate your refund What counts as a chattel?

Last reviewed: 19 May 2026 by the StampDutyBack team. Rate figures verified against gov.uk.

Frequently asked questions

When did stamp duty change in 2025?

The main changes took effect on 1 April 2025, when the temporary higher nil-rate thresholds expired. The additional dwelling surcharge had already increased from 3% to 5% earlier, on 31 October 2024.

What is the stamp duty nil-rate threshold in 2025?

From 1 April 2025, the standard nil-rate threshold is £125,000. For first-time buyers, the nil-rate threshold is £300,000 on properties worth up to £500,000.

Did stamp duty go up in April 2025?

Yes. The temporary nil-rate threshold of £250,000 reverted to £125,000, so buyers now pay 2% on the portion between £125,001 and £250,000 where they previously paid nothing. First-time buyer relief was also reduced. Most buyers now pay more stamp duty than they would have in 2024.

What stamp duty changes were announced in the 2024 Autumn Budget?

The October 2024 Autumn Budget increased the additional dwelling surcharge from 3% to 5%, effective 31 October 2024. It also confirmed that the temporary nil-rate thresholds would expire on 31 March 2025 as planned.

How much more stamp duty do I pay in 2025?

It depends on the purchase price. A standard buyer at £300,000 pays £2,500 more than under the temporary rates. A first-time buyer at £400,000 pays £5,000 more. An investor buying an additional property faces both the threshold change and the higher 5% surcharge.