Stamp Duty on a £550,000 House
Exact stamp duty figures for a £550,000 property purchase in England, Scotland and Wales — standard rate, first-time buyer relief, and the additional property surcharge, all banded out below.
Standard rate
£17,500
England & NI, SDLT
First-time buyer
£17,500
Relief capped at £500,000
Additional property
£45,000
Second home / buy-to-let, +5%
England & NI: Standard Stamp Duty Breakdown
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on a £550,000 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% | £15,000 |
| Total stamp duty | £17,500 | |
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 £550,000 House
First-time buyer relief is not available on a £550,000 house because it exceeds the £500,000 price cap set by HMRC. Once a property is priced above £500,000, first-time buyers pay exactly the same stamp duty as any other buyer: £17,500, calculated using the standard band structure above.
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: £45,000
If you already own a residential property and are buying a £550,000 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 £550,000 additional property to £45,000, an extra £27,500 on top of the standard rate.
Scotland and Wales: £550,000 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% | £22,500 |
Standard total: £28,350
First-time buyer total (increased nil-rate band to £175,000): £27,750 (saves £600)
Additional property (8% Additional Dwelling Supplement): £72,350
Wales — Land Transaction Tax (LTT)
| Up to £225,000 | 0% | £0 |
| £225,001 - £400,000 | 6% | £10,500 |
| £400,001 - £750,000 | 7.5% | £11,250 |
Standard total: £21,750
Wales does not offer first-time buyer relief — all buyers pay the standard rate above.
Additional property (separate higher-rate bands, 5%–17%): £48,700
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is stamp duty on a £550,000 house?
For a standard residential purchase in England, stamp duty on a £550,000 house is £17,500. In Scotland, Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) on the same price is £28,350, and in Wales, Land Transaction Tax (LTT) is £21,750.
How much stamp duty does a first-time buyer pay on £550,000?
First-time buyer relief does not apply on a £550,000 house because it is over the £500,000 price cap. A first-time buyer pays the same as a standard buyer: £17,500 in stamp duty.
How much is stamp duty on a £550k second home?
Buying a £550,000 property as an additional property or second home in England adds a 5% surcharge on every band, bringing the total stamp duty to £45,000. In Scotland, the 8% Additional Dwelling Supplement brings the total to £72,350, and in Wales, higher residential rates bring the total to £48,700.
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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