Stamp duty on a £400,000 house
Buying a £400,000 home in England or Northern Ireland you'll pay £10,000 stamp duty if you're moving home, £5,000 as a first-time buyer, or £30,000 on a second home or buy-to-let.
Home mover
£10,000
First-time buyer
£5,000
Second home / BTL
£30,000
Non-UK resident
£18,000
First-time buyers pay £5,000: nothing on the first £300,000 and 5% on the rest, saving £5,000.
How it's worked out (home mover)
Stamp duty is charged in slices, like income tax: each rate only applies to the part of the price in that band.
| Band | Rate | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| £0 to £125,000 | 0% | £0 |
| £125,000 to £250,000 | 2% | £2,500 |
| £250,000 to £400,000 | 5% | £7,500 |
| Total stamp duty | 2.5% | £10,000 |
Every type of buyer
| Buyer | Stamp duty | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| Moving home | £10,000 | 2.5% |
| First-time buyer | £5,000 | 1.3% |
| Second home or buy-to-let (+5%) | £30,000 | 7.5% |
| Non-UK resident home mover (+2%) | £18,000 | 4.5% |
Rates for England and Northern Ireland from 1 April 2025. Scotland (LBTT) and Wales (LTT) have their own taxes.
Questions
How much is stamp duty on a £400,000 house?+
£10,000 if you're moving home (or buying with no other property). That's 2.5% of the price.
Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty on £400,000?+
First-time buyers pay £5,000: nothing on the first £300,000 and 5% on the rest, saving £5,000.
What's the stamp duty on a £400,000 second home or buy-to-let?+
£30,000. Additional properties pay an extra 5% on every band, which is £20,000 more than a home mover.
When do I pay stamp duty?+
Your solicitor or conveyancer normally files the return and pays it for you. It's due within 14 days of completion.
Estimates for information only, using 2026/27 rates. Not financial or tax advice; check your own situation with HMRC or a qualified adviser.