Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is tax that is charged if you purchase a property or land. The amount of SDLT usually depends on the cost but other factors, such as whether it is being used for residential purposes or whether you own any other properties, can also affect the rate.

From 1 April 2025, the boundaries at which different rates of stamp duty apply have changed. The threshold at which stamp duty generally becomes payable for first-time buyers has been reduced from £425,000 to £300,000 and is applied when buying a home for less than £500,000 (rather than £625,000 previously).

If you are not a first-time buyer, the level at which you would usually expect to start to pay stamp duty is halved from £250,000 to £125,000 from 1 April 2025.

As the price of a property increases, so does the amount payable, and the applicable rates vary from 2% up to 12%. Note that each rate is applied to a proportion of the value rather than the entirety.

All these rates are relevant if you own one property. If you are purchasing a second property you may also have to pay an additional amount. This additional amount has increased from 3% to 5% from April 2025.

Which rates apply will depend on your particular circumstances. If you’d like some guidance on how stamp duty will apply to your scenario, get in touch!