Stamp Duty on a £400,000 House
Exact stamp duty figures for a £400,000 property purchase in England, Scotland and Wales — standard rate, first-time buyer relief, and the additional property surcharge, all banded out below.
Standard rate
£10,000
England & NI, SDLT
First-time buyer
£5,000
Saves £5,000
Additional property
£30,000
Second home / buy-to-let, +5%
England & NI: Standard Stamp Duty Breakdown
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on a £400,000 standard residential purchase is calculated in bands — you only pay each rate on the portion of the price that falls within that band.
| Band | Rate | Tax on this portion |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% | £0 |
| £125,001 - £250,000 | 2% | £2,500 |
| £250,001 - £925,000 | 5% | £7,500 |
| Total stamp duty | £10,000 | |
Calculated using published SDLT rates in force since 1 April 2025. Applies to a standard purchase — not a first home or additional property.
First-Time Buyer Relief on a £400,000 House
First-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland pay 0% stamp duty on the first £300,000 of a property, and 5% on the portion between £300,001 and £500,000. On a £400,000 house, that means you pay stamp duty of £5,000 — only the portion of the price above £300,000 is taxed, at 5%. That is a saving of £5,000 compared with the standard rate of £10,000.
To qualify, you (and anyone you are buying with) must never have owned a residential property anywhere in the world before, and the property must be your only or main residence.
Second Home or Buy-to-Let: £30,000
If you already own a residential property and are buying a £400,000 house as an additional property — a second home or a buy-to-let — a 5% surcharge is added on top of every standard band in England and Northern Ireland (raised from 3% on 31 October 2024). That brings the total stamp duty on a £400,000 additional property to £30,000, an extra £20,000 on top of the standard rate.
Scotland and Wales: £400,000 House
Scotland — Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT)
| Up to £145,000 | 0% | £0 |
| £145,001 - £250,000 | 2% | £2,100 |
| £250,001 - £325,000 | 5% | £3,750 |
| £325,001 - £750,000 | 10% | £7,500 |
Standard total: £13,350
First-time buyer total (increased nil-rate band to £175,000): £12,750 (saves £600)
Additional property (8% Additional Dwelling Supplement): £45,350
Wales — Land Transaction Tax (LTT)
| Up to £225,000 | 0% | £0 |
| £225,001 - £400,000 | 6% | £10,500 |
Standard total: £10,500
Wales does not offer first-time buyer relief — all buyers pay the standard rate above.
Additional property (separate higher-rate bands, 5%–17%): £29,950
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is stamp duty on a £400,000 house?
For a standard residential purchase in England, stamp duty on a £400,000 house is £10,000. In Scotland, Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) on the same price is £13,350, and in Wales, Land Transaction Tax (LTT) is £10,500.
How much stamp duty does a first-time buyer pay on £400,000?
A first-time buyer in England pays £5,000 in stamp duty on a £400,000 house, a saving of £5,000 versus the standard rate. This applies because first-time buyers pay 0% on the first £300,000 and 5% on the portion up to £500,000.
How much is stamp duty on a £400k second home?
Buying a £400,000 property as an additional property or second home in England adds a 5% surcharge on every band, bringing the total stamp duty to £30,000. In Scotland, the 8% Additional Dwelling Supplement brings the total to £45,350, and in Wales, higher residential rates bring the total to £29,950.
Last reviewed July 2026. Rates shown are current for 2026. See the full stamp duty calculator to check a different property price.
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