The Autumn Budget 2026, delivered on 28 October 2026, did not change stamp duty. If you're buying a home in England or Northern Ireland, you pay the same rates and bands as before the Budget. The changes that do matter for buyers are elsewhere: higher tax on rental income from April 2027, a yearly surcharge on £2 million homes from April 2028, a new equity loan for first-time buyers of new builds, and a smaller Lifetime ISA penalty on homes over £450,000.
Key points
- Stamp duty rates, bands, first-time buyer relief and surcharges are unchanged.
- Landlords: income tax on property income rises to 24%, 44% or 49% from 6 April 2027.
- Homes in England worth £2 million or more face a yearly surcharge of £2,500 to £7,500 from April 2028.
- First-time buyers: a new Your First Home equity loan for new builds, expected to open in February 2027.
- Lifetime ISA: the penalty for using it on a home over £450,000 falls from 25% to 20%, from 29 October 2026.
Stamp duty after the Autumn Budget 2026
Nothing changed. The Budget's list of tax measures includes only technical stamp duty changes, such as relief for some pension fund purchases and how group relief is clawed back, which don't affect people buying a home to live in or to let.
So for a home in England or Northern Ireland:
- Moving home: the normal bands apply.
- First-time buyers: no stamp duty on the first £300,000, and 5% on the part from £300,001 to £500,000. The relief only applies if the price is £500,000 or less.
- Second homes and buy-to-let: a 5% surcharge on the whole price, on top of the normal bands.
- Buyers living outside the UK: a 2% surcharge on top, if you spent fewer than 183 days in the UK in the year before buying.
| Price | Moving home | First-time buyer | Second home / buy-to-let |
|---|---|---|---|
| £250,000 | £2,500 | £0 | £15,000 |
| £400,000 | £10,000 | £5,000 | £30,000 |
| £600,000 | £20,000 | £20,000 | £50,000 |
Scotland and Wales set their own taxes on buying a home (LBTT and LTT), so the UK Budget doesn't change those. Their budgets usually come between December and February.
Every cost for your price and situation in the UK, including taxes for buyers from abroad.
Landlords: higher tax on rental income from April 2027
The 2025 Budget had already created separate income tax rates for property income, 2 percentage points above the normal rates, from April 2027. The 2026 Budget adds a further 2 points from the same date. From 6 April 2027, rental profit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be taxed at:
| Tax band | Rate on property income from 6 April 2027 |
|---|---|
| Basic rate | 24% |
| Higher rate | 44% |
| Additional rate | 49% |
This doesn't change what you pay when you buy, but it does change whether a buy-to-let makes sense. If you're weighing one up, work out the rent, costs and mortgage first, then allow for the higher tax on what's left. If you let a UK home while living abroad, ask a tax adviser how the new rates apply to you. Scotland's position depends on decisions by the Scottish Government.
The £2 million home surcharge from April 2028
Often called the "mansion tax", the High Value Council Tax Surcharge was announced in 2025 and confirmed in this Budget. It applies to homes in England only, and the owner pays it, not the tenant.
| Home's value (at 2026 prices) | Surcharge a year |
|---|---|
| £2 million to £2.5 million | £2,500 |
| £2.5 million to £3.5 million | £3,500 |
| £3.5 million to £5 million | £5,000 |
| £5 million and above | £7,500 |
It's paid on top of normal council tax, and the charges are due to rise with inflation from 2029–30. Homes left empty and unfurnished for 12 months or more pay double. Some households on lower incomes can put off paying until the home is sold. If you're buying near £2 million in England, include this as a yearly cost.
First-time buyers: Your First Home and ISAs
Your First Home is a new equity loan for first-time buyers of new-build homes in England. Here is what the government has published so far:
- a deposit of at least 2.5%;
- a government loan of 20% of the price, interest-free for 5 years, then 1.5% in year 6 and 3% from year 7;
- price caps set by area, for example £650,000 in inner London and £500,000 in outer London;
- household income up to £110,000, or £140,000 in London;
- pre-registration by the end of 2026, applications expected from February 2027 and the first sales from April 2027.
Full eligibility rules haven't been published yet, so treat these details as provisional.
Lifetime ISA: if you use a Lifetime ISA towards a first home costing more than £450,000, the withdrawal charge is now 20% instead of 25%, for withdrawals from 29 October 2026. The £450,000 cap itself hasn't changed, and other early withdrawals still pay 25%.
First Time Buyer ISA: from April 2029 a new account replaces the Lifetime ISA for new savers. It allows up to £4,000 a year with a 25% government bonus, on balances of up to £20,000, for a first home worth up to £450,000. Existing Lifetime ISAs can carry on under the current rules.
What this means if you're buying now
- Buying a home to live in: your stamp duty and other buying costs are the same as before the Budget.
- First-time buyer looking at new builds: it may be worth waiting for Your First Home details if you'd buy from spring 2027.
- Buy-to-let: factor in the higher tax on rent from April 2027 as well as the 5% stamp duty surcharge.
- Homes near £2 million in England: add the yearly surcharge from April 2028 to your running costs.
Work out your own figures
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