Stamp duty rates in 2020
Stamp duty in England and Northern Ireland changed once in 2020. On 8 July 2020 the nil-rate band rose from £125,000 to £500,000, the 2% band was removed and first-time buyer relief was switched off. A £400,000 home cost a home mover £10,000 on 1 January 2020 and £0 by 31 December 2020, against £10,000 under the rates in force today.
The bars are what a home mover paid on a £400,000 home, the price people ask about most, in each part of 2020.
Work out a purchase in 2020
Pick when it completed, then the price and who was buying.
Stamp duty to pay
£10,000
2.5% of the price
- Tax on the bands
- £10,000
- Stamp duty to pay
- £10,000
The rates in force during 2020
2 sets of rates applied during the year, each for its own dates. Each portion of the price was taxed at the rate for its band.
Rates in force 22 November 2017 to 7 July 2020
| Portion of the price | Home mover | Additional property |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% | 3% |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | 2% | 5% |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | 5% | 8% |
| £925,001 to £1,500,000 | 10% | 13% |
| Above £1,500,000 | 12% | 15% |
First-time buyers paid nothing on the first £300,000 and 5% to £500,000, on homes up to £500,000.
Rates in force 8 July 2020 to 30 June 2021
| Portion of the price | Home mover | Additional property |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £500,000 | 0% | 3% |
| £500,001 to £925,000 | 5% | 8% |
| £925,001 to £1,500,000 | 10% | 13% |
| Above £1,500,000 | 12% | 15% |
First-time buyer relief was switched off for this whole period, so first-time buyers paid the same as anyone else.
What a £400,000 home cost in 2020
Worked out for a purchase completing in each part of the year, and under the rates in force today.
| Completing | Home mover | First-time buyer | Additional property |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January to 7 July 2020 | £10,000 | £5,000 | £22,000 |
| 8 July to 31 December 2020 | £0 | £0No relief | £12,000 |
| Today | £10,000 | £5,000 | £30,000 |
What changed in 2020
- On 8 July 2020 the nil-rate band rose from £125,000 to £500,000, the 2% band was removed and first-time buyer relief was switched off.
Stamp duty in other years
Each year has its own page with the rates in force, the dates they changed and what a home cost.
Where to go next
- The rates in force today
The current bands, thresholds and every price page.
- Full stamp duty calculator
A purchase completing today, with the band breakdown.
- Reclaiming the surcharge
Getting the higher rates back after selling the old home.
- Commercial and mixed-use property
The non-residential rates, which these pages do not cover.
Stamp duty in 2020: questions
What were the stamp duty rates in 2020?
From 1 January to 7 July 2020: nothing up to £125,000, 2% to £250,000, 5% to £925,000, 10% to £1,500,000 and 12% above £1,500,000. From 8 July to 31 December 2020: nothing up to £500,000, 5% to £925,000, 10% to £1,500,000 and 12% above £1,500,000.
How much stamp duty was there on a £400,000 home in 2020?
From 1 January to 7 July 2020: £10,000 for a home mover, £5,000 for a first-time buyer and £22,000 for an additional property. From 8 July to 31 December 2020: £0 for a home mover, £0 for a first-time buyer and £12,000 for an additional property. The same price costs a home mover £10,000 today.
Did stamp duty change in 2020?
Yes, once. On 8 July 2020 the nil-rate band rose from £125,000 to £500,000, the 2% band was removed and first-time buyer relief was switched off.
Was there first-time buyer relief in 2020?
From 1 January to 7 July 2020: First-time buyers paid nothing on the first £300,000 and 5% to £500,000, on homes up to £500,000. From 8 July to 31 December 2020: First-time buyer relief was switched off for this whole period, so first-time buyers paid the same as anyone else.
What was the second home stamp duty surcharge in 2020?
All year: 3 percentage points on top of every band, on purchases of £40,000 or more.
Did non-UK residents pay more stamp duty in 2020?
No. The non-UK resident surcharge began on 1 April 2021, after 2020.
Does the exchange date or the completion date decide the rates?
The completion date. The bands and first-time buyer relief in force on the day the purchase completes are the ones that apply, even when contracts were exchanged under earlier rules.
Does this cover Scotland and Wales?
No. These are Stamp Duty Land Tax rules, which apply in England and Northern Ireland only. Scotland charges Land and Buildings Transaction Tax and Wales charges Land Transaction Tax, each with its own bands and its own rules for companies, leases and shared ownership.
Where these figures come from
These figures are worked out from the rules in force on each completion date for a straightforward residential purchase; the facts of a particular purchase decide what was actually due.
The official rates for each period
- Stamp Duty Land Tax rates: 4 December 2014 to 7 July 2020 (first-time buyer relief from 22 November 2017) on GOV.UK, checked 12 September 2026
- Stamp Duty Land Tax rates: 8 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 on GOV.UK, checked 12 September 2026