Answers · UK 2025/26
How much stamp duty will I pay on a £600,000 second home in England?
£50,000. Standard SDLT on £600,000 is £20,000, and the 5% additional-property surcharge adds £30,000 on the whole price, giving £50,000 total in England and Northern Ireland.
Full answer
Buying an additional residential property in England or Northern Ireland -- a second home, holiday home or buy-to-let -- attracts standard Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) plus a flat 5% surcharge on the entire purchase price. For a £600,000 second home: standard SDLT is £0 on the first £125,000, 2% on the next £125,000 (£2,500), and 5% on the remaining £350,000 (£250,000 to £600,000, giving £17,500), totalling £20,000 of standard SDLT. The 5% additional-property surcharge is then applied to the whole £600,000 purchase price, not just the taxable portion, adding £30,000. Total SDLT due is £20,000 plus £30,000, which is £50,000 -- an even, easy-to-remember figure since 5% of £600,000 happens to equal £30,000 and combines neatly with £20,000 of standard SDLT. Someone replacing their main residence does not pay the surcharge, even temporarily, provided the sale of the old home completes on or before the purchase of the new one; if the sale happens afterwards, the surcharge is paid upfront and can be reclaimed from HMRC within a set time limit once the previous main residence is sold. At £600,000, a buyer is approaching the £925,000 threshold where the standard SDLT rate steps up again from 5% to 10%, so second homes purchased in this range already carry a substantial combined tax burden of over 8% of the purchase price. Use the Stamp Duty calculator to check the exact figure for your purchase.
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This answer is informational only and does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice. Figures are for the 2025/26 UK tax year. See our methodology and sources.