Guidance

Stamp Duty Land Tax: temporary reduced rates

Reduced rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) will apply for residential properties purchased from 8 July 2020 until 30 June 2021 and from 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021 inclusive.

Overview

The temporary increase to the nil rate band for Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), which is the rate before you start paying SDLT on residential property has been extended.

Rather than ending on 31 March 2021, the temporary nil rate band of 拢500,000 will be in place until 30 June 2021. Then from 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021 the nil rate band will be 拢250,000. The nil rate band will return to the standard amount of 拢125,000 on 1 October 2021.

The rate of SDLT which applies to your purchase depends on the date that you complete your property purchase and not the date that you exchanged contracts.

Residential Rates on purchases from 8 July 2020 to 30 June 2021

If you purchase a residential property between 8 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, you only start to pay SDLT on the amount that you pay for the property above 拢500,000. These rates apply whether you are buying your first home or have owned property before.

You can use the table to work out the SDLT due:

Property or lease premium or transfer value SDLT rate
Up to 拢500,000 Zero
The next 拢425,000 (the portion from 拢500,001 to 拢925,000) 5%
The next 拢575,000 (the portion from 拢925,001 to 拢1.5 million) 10%
The remaining amount (the portion above 拢1.5 million) 12%

From 8 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 the special rules for first time buyers are replaced by the reduced rates set out above.

Use the to work out how much tax you鈥檒l pay.

Residential Rates on purchases from 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021

If you purchase a residential property between 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021, you only start to pay SDLT on the amount that you pay for the property above 拢250,000.

You can use the table to work out the SDLT due.

Property or lease premium or transfer value SDLT rate
Up to 拢250,000 zero
The next 拢675,000 (the portion from 拢250,001 to 拢925,000) 5%
The next 拢575,000 (the portion from 拢925,001 to 拢1.5 million) 10%
The remaining amount (the portion above 拢1.5 million) 12%

From 1 July 2021 the special rules and rates for first time buyers apply, including first time buyers purchasing property through a shared ownership scheme.

Use the to work out how much tax you鈥檒l pay.

Higher rates for additional properties

The 3% higher rate for purchases of additional dwellings applies on top of temporary reduced rates above for the period 8 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 and also for the period 1 July 2021 to 30 September.

The following rates apply:

Higher Rates from 8 July 2020 to 30 June 2021

Property or lease premium or transfer value SDLT rate
Up to 拢500,000 3%
The next 拢425,000 (the portion from 拢500,001 to 拢925,000) 8%
The next 拢575,000 (the portion from 拢925,001 to 拢1.5 million) 13%
The remaining amount (the portion above 拢1.5 million) 15%

Higher Rates from 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021

Property or lease premium or transfer value SDLT rate
Up to 拢250,000 3%
The next 拢675,000 (the portion from 拢250,001 to 拢925,000) 8%
The next 拢575,000 (the portion from 拢925,001 to 拢1.5 million) 13%
The remaining amount (the portion above 拢1.5 million) 15%

From 1 October 2021 the higher rates will then apply on top of the standard rates of SDLT.

Use the SDLT to work out how much tax you鈥檒l pay.

New leasehold sales and transfers

The nil rate band which applies to the 鈥榥et present value鈥� of any rents payable for residential property is also increased to 拢500,000 from 8 July 2020 until 30 June 2021. From 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021 the nil rate band will then be decreased to 拢250,000.

The following rates will apply:

From 8 July 2020 to 30 June 2021

Net Present Value of any Rent SDLT rate
Up to 拢500,000 Zero
Over 拢500,000 1%

From 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021

Net Present Value of any Rent SDLT rate
Up to 拢250,000 Zero
Over 拢250,000 1%

Companies as well as individuals buying residential property below the nil rate band thresholds shown in the above tables will also benefit from these changes, as will companies that buy residential property of any value where they meet the relief conditions from the corporate 15% SDLT charge.

On the 1 October 2021 the temporary rates of SDLT will revert back to the standard rates that were in place prior to 8 July 2020.

Updates to this page

Published 8 July 2020
Last updated 8 June 2021 show all updates
  1. Guidance about when the rate of Stamp Duty Land Tax which applies to your purchase has been added.

  2. This page was updated to reflect the changes in the Budget of 3 March 2021.

  3. First published.

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