Stamp Duty for first time buyers
Stamp Duty for first time buyers in England and Northern Ireland, LBTT in Scotland and LTT in Wales, with a calculator that uses the same rules as the Theo app.
Quick answer
In England and Northern Ireland, Stamp Duty for first time buyers is nothing on homes up to £300,000, then 5% on the part from £300,001 to £500,000. Homes over £500,000 get no relief, so standard rates apply to the whole price, and everyone buying must be a first time buyer.
Scotland and Wales have their own taxes. In Scotland, first time buyers pay no LBTT on the first £175,000. Wales has no separate relief, but nothing is due on the first £225,000.
Updated today
First time buyer relief at a glance
- To £300k0%. Nothing to pay.
- £300k to £500k5% on the part above £300,000.
- Over £500kNo relief. Standard rates on the whole price.
England and Northern Ireland. Every buyer must be a first time buyer.
Stamp Duty for first time buyers in the Theo app
Theo’s Stamp Duty calculator covers England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, first time buyers, movers, additional homes and buyers living outside the UK, and shows how the tax adds up band by band.
The Budget on 28 October
The Budget on 28 October 2026 may change Stamp Duty. Theo’s calculators use the same rules as the app, and update as soon as those rules change.
Moving or buying another?
The calculator covers those too.
Stamp Duty for first time buyers, by price
| Price | First time buyer, England and NI | Moving home, England and NI | First time buyer, Scotland | First time buyer, Wales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £250,000 | £0 | £2,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 |
| £300,000 | £0 | £5,000 | £4,000 | £4,500 |
| £350,000 | £2,500 | £7,500 | £7,750 | £7,500 |
| £400,000 | £5,000 | £10,000 | £12,750 | £10,500 |
| £450,000 | £7,500 | £12,500 | £17,750 | £14,250 |
| £500,000 | £10,000 | £15,000 | £22,750 | £18,000 |
| £510,000 | £15,500 | £15,500 | £23,750 | £18,750 |
What relief saves at £300,000
A first time buyer pays nothing. Someone moving home pays £5,000 at the same price.
Stamp Duty for first time buyers: calculator
Choose where the home is and who is buying. The figures use the same rules as the Theo app.
First time buyer relief applies to homes up to £500,000, and every buyer must be a first time buyer.
How Stamp Duty for first time buyers works
First time buyer relief replaces the normal Stamp Duty rates in England and Northern Ireland. On homes up to £300,000 there is nothing to pay. Between £300,001 and £500,000 you pay 5% on the part above £300,000 only, so a £400,000 home costs £5,000 in Stamp Duty instead of £10,000.
If the price is over £500,000, the relief does not apply at all and standard rates are charged on the whole price. That creates a sharp jump: a £500,000 home costs a first time buyer £10,000, but a £510,000 home costs £15,500.
Who counts as a first time buyer
You must never have owned a home, or a share of one, anywhere in the world, including one you inherited. If you are buying with someone else, every buyer must be a first time buyer. If one of you has owned before, the relief does not apply and standard rates are charged, even if the other has never owned. You must also intend to live in the home as your main residence.
Standard rates in England and Northern Ireland
| Part of the price | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | 5% |
| £925,001 to £1.5 million | 10% |
| Over £1.5 million | 12% |
Buying an additional home adds 5% to every band. Buyers who were not in the UK for at least 183 days in the year before buying pay an extra 2%.
Scotland and Wales
In Scotland the tax is Land and Buildings Transaction Tax, or LBTT. First time buyers pay nothing on the first £175,000, compared with £145,000 for other buyers, and the usual rates above that. Additional homes pay the Additional Dwelling Supplement of 8% of the whole price.
In Wales the tax is Land Transaction Tax, or LTT. There is no separate first time buyer relief, but nothing is due on the first £225,000 for anyone buying a main home. Additional homes pay higher rates on the whole price.
When and how you pay
In England and Northern Ireland, the return and payment are due within 14 days of completion. In Scotland and Wales the deadline is 30 days. Your solicitor or conveyancer usually files the return and pays it for you from the money you send them before completion, so budget for it alongside the deposit. See buying a home, step by step for every cost.
The Budget on 28 October 2026
Stamp Duty can change at a Budget, and the next one is on 28 October 2026. The calculator on this page uses the same rules as the Theo app and updates as soon as those rules change. If you are close to completing, your solicitor will confirm the rate that applies on your completion date.
Common questions
Do first time buyers pay Stamp Duty?
How much is Stamp Duty for first time buyers on a £400,000 home?
What if I am buying with someone who has owned a home before?
Do first time buyers pay LBTT in Scotland?
Is there first time buyer relief in Wales?
When do I pay Stamp Duty?
Keep exploring
Theo App Ltd is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and does not give mortgage advice. This page is information only and is not a recommendation. Figures use the rules checked on the date shown and are not tax advice. Your solicitor confirms the tax due. Speak to an FCA-authorised mortgage adviser about your own circumstances.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.