What Changed on 1 April 2025
SDLT nil-rate thresholds that had been temporarily raised in September 2022 reverted to their previous, lower levels for any purchase completing on or after 1 April 2025:
| Threshold | Before 1 Apr 2025 | From 1 Apr 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Standard nil-rate band | £250,000 | £125,000 |
| First-time buyer nil-rate band | £425,000 | £300,000 |
| First-time buyer relief upper limit | £625,000 | £500,000 |
This only affects England and Northern Ireland (SDLT). Scotland's LBTT and Wales's LTT thresholds were not part of this change.
Real Impact Example
A first-time buyer completing on a £500,000 property on 30 March 2025 (before the change) paid £3,750 in SDLT. Completing on the same property from 1 April 2025 onward, the bill jumps to £10,000 — a direct result of the lower nil-rate band and reduced upper relief limit.
These are the thresholds already used by the calculators on this site — see the full threshold tables or the first-time buyer calculator for your exact figure under current rules.
This page will be updated whenever HMRC announces further threshold or rate changes (e.g. at a Budget) — bookmark it for the latest figures.
Frequently Asked Questions
For any transaction with an effective date (usually completion) on or after 1 April 2025. Transactions completing on or before 31 March 2025 used the higher, temporary thresholds.
No — this reversion only applied to SDLT (England/NI). LBTT (Scotland) and LTT (Wales) thresholds were unaffected by this specific change.
The higher thresholds introduced in September 2022 were always legislated as temporary, due to expire on 31 March 2025. The 2025 change was this expiry taking effect, reverting to the prior permanent thresholds — not a new tax rise.