Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty on £250,000?

Not in England or Northern Ireland. First-time buyers pay nothing on the first £300,000. In Scotland it's £1,500 and in Wales £1,500.

How much is it if I've owned a home before?

£2,500 in England or Northern Ireland, £2,100 in Scotland and £1,500 in Wales. That's for replacing your main home. An extra home or buy-to-let pays a surcharge on top.

Who counts as a first-time buyer?

Everyone buying must never have owned a home, in the UK or anywhere else, and must be going to live in it. If you buy with someone who has owned before, the relief doesn't apply.

How much cash do I need to buy a £250,000 home?

About £15,910 in England with a 5% deposit: £12,500 deposit, and about £3,410 for legal fees, searches, a survey and moving.

What salary do I need for a £250,000 home?

Many lenders lend around 4.5 times income, so a £237,500 mortgage with a 5% deposit would need about £53,000 a year, alone or together. Only a lender can say what they'd lend you.

Stamp duty calculator

Rates checked 2026-10-01

Stamp duty on a £250,000 house

A first-time buyer pays no Stamp Duty on a £250,000 home in England or Northern Ireland. Someone moving home pays £2,500. In Scotland it's £1,500 LBTT for a first-time buyer, and in Wales £1,500 LTT.

On a £250,000 home, by nation
Where	First-time buyer	Moving home
EnglandStamp Duty	£0	£2,500
Northern IrelandStamp Duty	£0	£2,500
ScotlandLBTT	£1,500	£2,100
WalesLTT	£1,500	£1,500

For your main home. An extra home or buy-to-let pays a surcharge on top. See it band by band

The cash you'd need on day one

5% deposit: £12,500
Stamp Duty: £0
Fees and moving: £3,410
Total: £15,910

A first-time buyer in England. Many lenders would want an income of about £53,000 for the mortgage. What £55,000 a year reaches

Common questions

Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty on £250,000?: Not in England or Northern Ireland. First-time buyers pay nothing on the first £300,000. In Scotland it's £1,500 and in Wales £1,500.
How much is it if I've owned a home before?: £2,500 in England or Northern Ireland, £2,100 in Scotland and £1,500 in Wales. That's for replacing your main home. An extra home or buy-to-let pays a surcharge on top.
Who counts as a first-time buyer?: Everyone buying must never have owned a home, in the UK or anywhere else, and must be going to live in it. If you buy with someone who has owned before, the relief doesn't apply.
How much cash do I need to buy a £250,000 home?: About £15,910 in England with a 5% deposit: £12,500 deposit, and about £3,410 for legal fees, searches, a survey and moving.
What salary do I need for a £250,000 home?: Many lenders lend around 4.5 times income, so a £237,500 mortgage with a 5% deposit would need about £53,000 a year, alone or together. Only a lender can say what they'd lend you.

A guide, not tax advice. Your solicitor will confirm the figure for your purchase.

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