On 1 April 2025, stamp duty thresholds in England and Northern Ireland dropped back down after a temporary cut that had been in place since September 2022. If you're buying a property now, you're almost certainly paying more stamp duty than you would have a year ago.
Here's exactly what changed and what it means for your purchase.
The nil-rate threshold — the amount you can pay for a property before stamp duty kicks in — dropped from £250,000 back to £125,000. That's a big deal for anyone buying between those two numbers.
| Band | Before April 2025 | From April 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 0% (nil rate) | Up to £250,000 | Up to £125,000 |
| 2% | — | £125,001 – £250,000 |
| 5% | £250,001 – £925,000 | £250,001 – £925,000 |
| 10% | £925,001 – £1,500,000 | £925,001 – £1,500,000 |
| 12% | Over £1,500,000 | Over £1,500,000 |
On a £300,000 property, the stamp duty bill went from £2,500 to £5,000 — a £2,500 increase. On £350,000, it went from £5,000 to £7,500.
The change only affects the portion between £125,000 and £250,000, which is now taxed at 2%. So the maximum extra cost is £2,500 (2% of £125,000).
Use our stamp duty calculator to see the exact figure for your purchase price.
The first-time buyer nil-rate threshold dropped from £425,000 to £300,000. And the maximum property price to qualify for FTB relief fell from £625,000 to £500,000.
| FTB Relief | Before April 2025 | From April 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 0% threshold | Up to £425,000 | Up to £300,000 |
| 5% band | £425,001 – £625,000 | £300,001 – £500,000 |
| Max price for relief | £625,000 | £500,000 |
A first-time buyer purchasing at £400,000 now pays £5,000 in stamp duty. Before April 2025, they'd have paid nothing.
Check your FTB stamp duty with our first-time buyer calculator.
If you're buying a second home or buy-to-let, you still pay an extra 3% on top of the standard rates. The surcharge hasn't changed. But because the underlying rates went up (lower nil-rate band), your total bill is higher too.
On a £350,000 buy-to-let, stamp duty is now £18,000 (standard £7,500 plus £10,500 surcharge). Use our additional property calculator to see the breakdown.
These changes only apply to England and Northern Ireland. Scotland has LBTT (Land and Buildings Transaction Tax) and Wales has LTT (Land Transaction Tax) — both have their own rates and thresholds that didn't change on 1 April 2025.
The changes already happened. If you're buying now, these are the rates you'll pay — there's no deadline to beat. Some buyers brought their purchases forward before April 2025 to take advantage of the higher thresholds, but that window is closed.
The practical question is whether the higher stamp duty changes your budget. On a £300,000 purchase, you need an extra £2,500 in cash on top of your deposit, solicitor fees and other costs.
Our moving costs calculator adds up everything — stamp duty, conveyancing, Land Registry fees, removals and more — so you can budget properly.
See exactly what you'll pay at the current April 2025 rates.
| Price | Standard | First-Time Buyer | Additional (+3%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| £250,000 | £2,500 | £0 | £10,000 |
| £300,000 | £5,000 | £0 | £14,000 |
| £350,000 | £7,500 | £2,500 | £18,000 |
| £400,000 | £10,000 | £5,000 | £22,000 |
| £500,000 | £15,000 | £10,000 | £30,000 |
For detailed breakdowns at specific prices, see our scenario pages for £350k, £425k first-time buyer, and £500k buy-to-let.