Answers · UK 2025/26

How much capital gains tax do I pay on £150,000 profit?

On a £150,000 gain in 2026/27, the first £3,000 is tax-free, leaving £147,000 taxable. A higher-rate or additional-rate taxpayer pays 24% on the whole taxable amount, giving £35,280 -- gains this size almost always sit entirely above the basic-rate band once stacked on income.

Last updated: 10 July 2026Last reviewed: 10 July 2026How we verify

Full answer

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) for 2026/27 has an annual exempt amount of £3,000. On a £150,000 gain, £147,000 is taxable. The rate depends on where the gain sits when stacked on top of your income: 18% within the basic-rate band and 24% above it for most assets, including shares and second properties. For nearly everyone, a gain of this size pushes well past the £50,270 higher-rate threshold once added to income, so the vast majority (often all) of it is taxed at 24%, giving a bill of roughly £35,280. Only someone with little or no other income and a very large unused basic-rate band would pay a meaningfully lower blended rate. Given the scale of tax at stake, gains of this size are worth planning around: spreading a disposal across two tax years uses two annual exemptions and potentially two basic-rate bands; spouses can transfer assets tax-free before sale to use both partners' allowances and bands; and business owners disposing of qualifying trading business assets or company shares should check eligibility for Business Asset Disposal Relief, which charges a flat 18% up to a £1 million lifetime limit rather than the standard rates. UK residential property gains must be reported and paid within 60 days of completion; other gains are reported via Self Assessment. Use the Capital Gains Tax calculator to model your exact position.