Stamp Duty Comparison: England, Scotland and Wales
One purchase price, three different taxes. England and Northern Ireland use Stamp Duty Land Tax. Scotland uses Land and Buildings Transaction Tax. Wales uses Land Transaction Tax. This page does not rename one calculator three times — each column is a different statute.
Why one comparison page, not three copies
The user job here is “what would this price cost in each nation, and which rule actually applies to me?” The nation calculators answer “how much do I pay under the statute that covers my purchase?” Both jobs are real. Publishing a city page for every town would not change the tax. Publishing England, Scotland and Wales separately does, because the statutes differ. This page only exists to put those three answers next to each other.
Main home, including first-time buyers
England first-time buyer relief is withdrawn entirely above £500,000. Scotland keeps a £175,000 nil-rate band with no price cap. Wales has no first-time buyer relief, so the Wales column does not change for a first-time buyer.
| Price | England standard | England first-time buyer | Scotland standard | Scotland first-time buyer | Wales main |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £150,000 | £500 | £0 | £100 | £0 | £0 |
| £200,000 | £1,500 | £0 | £1,100 | £500 | £0 |
| £250,000 | £2,500 | £0 | £2,100 | £1,500 | £1,500 |
| £300,000 | £5,000 | £0 | £4,600 | £4,000 | £4,500 |
| £400,000 | £10,000 | £5,000 | £13,350 | £12,750 | £10,500 |
| £500,000 | £15,000 | £10,000 | £23,350 | £22,750 | £18,000 |
| £600,000 | £20,000 | Relief withdrawn | £33,350 | £32,750 | £25,500 |
| £750,000 | £27,500 | Relief withdrawn | £48,350 | £47,750 | £36,750 |
Additional residential property
England adds 5% of the whole price to standard bands. Scotland adds 8% ADS to standard bands and does not also give first-time buyer relief. Wales switches to the higher-rate table instead of adding a flat percent.
| Price | England & NI + 5% | Scotland + 8% ADS | Wales higher rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| £150,000 | £8,000 | £12,100 | £7,500 |
| £200,000 | £11,500 | £17,100 | £10,700 |
| £250,000 | £15,000 | £22,100 | £14,950 |
| £300,000 | £20,000 | £28,600 | £19,950 |
| £400,000 | £30,000 | £45,350 | £29,950 |
| £500,000 | £40,000 | £63,350 | £42,450 |
| £600,000 | £50,000 | £81,350 | £54,950 |
| £750,000 | £65,000 | £108,350 | £73,700 |
Worked check at £300,000
Main home
England & NI £5,000 · Scotland £4,600 · Wales £4,500
First-time buyer
England & NI £0 (price is inside the £500,000 cap) · Scotland £4,000 · Wales £4,500 (no relief)
Additional dwelling
England & NI £20,000 · Scotland £28,600 · Wales £19,950
At £300,000 a first-time buyer in England pays nothing and a first-time buyer in Wales pays the same £4,500 as any other main-home buyer. An additional dwelling costs more in Scotland than in England because ADS is 8%, not 5%. Those are the differences a single “UK stamp duty” token cannot show.
What this comparison leaves out
- Non-resident SDLT surcharge (2%). It applies only to England and Northern Ireland. The England calculator has that switch. It is not guessed onto Scotland or Wales.
- Non-residential, mixed-use, linked transactions, multiple dwellings relief, leases. Not modelled. Unknown stays unknown.
- The mortgage instalment. Purchase tax is not a monthly payment. Use the UK repayment calculator for that.
Sources: GOV.UK SDLT rates, Revenue Scotland LBTT, GOV.WALES LTT rates. Re-check those pages before you complete. HMRC, Revenue Scotland and the Welsh Revenue Authority are the authorities — not this comparison.
By Suhaib Hassan · Bands verified 23 Sep 2026 · Method v1.0-UK-COMPARE · How CalculatePilot verifies formulas
Frequently asked questions
Is stamp duty the same in England, Scotland and Wales?
No. Three statutes: SDLT, LBTT and LTT. Bands, first-time buyer rules and additional-home rules all differ.
Which nation is cheapest for a main home?
It depends on the price. At £250,000 a main home is £2,500 in England and Northern Ireland, £2,100 in Scotland and £1,500 in Wales. At £150,000 England and Northern Ireland charge £500, Scotland charges £100 and Wales charges £0.
Do first-time buyers get relief in every nation?
England and Northern Ireland: yes, if the price is £500,000 or less. Scotland: a higher nil-rate band, up to £600, with no £500,000 cap. Wales: no separate relief.
How do additional homes differ?
England adds 5% of the price. Scotland adds 8% ADS. Wales uses a different rate table, not a flat surcharge.
Does this replace the nation calculators?
No. Open the England & NI calculator, the Scotland LBTT calculator or the Wales LTT calculator for the statute that covers the purchase.
Next calculation
Estimate only. Not a tax return.