The rate of stamp duty/stamp duty reserve tax on the transfer of shares and securities is unchanged at 0.5% for 2008-09. The liability is subject to rounding up to the nearest £5. Please refer to our stamp duty calculator.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Following an announcement made by The Chancellor of the Exchequer on 2 September 2008 the new rates that apply from 3 September 2008 for the transfers of property which are subject to stamp duty land tax are as follows:

Cost	Land in disadvantaged Areas Residential	Land in disadvantaged Areas Non -Residential	All other land in the UK Residential	All other land in the UK Non-Residential
Up to £ 175,000	0%	0%	0%	0%
£175,001 to £250,000	1%	1%	1%	1%
£250,001 to £500,000	3%	3%	3%	3%
Over £500,000	4%	4%	4%	4%

 

These rates will be maintained until 31st December 2009. From 1st January 2010 the 1% rate will be reduced to £125,000, except for properties deemd to be in disadvantaged areas.

The previous rates for the transfers of property which were subject to stamp duty land tax and applied until 2 September 2008 was:

Cost	Land in disadvantaged Areas Residential	Land in disadvantaged Areas Non -Residential	All other land in the UK Residential	All other land in the UK Non-Residential
Up to £ 125,000	0%	0%	0%	0%
£125,001 to £150,000	0%	0%	1%	0%
£150,001 to £250,000	1%	1%	1%	1%
£250,001 to £500,000	3%	3%	3%	3%
Over £500,000	4%	4%	4%	4%

 

New Leases (Lease Duty)

Duty on rent. Duty is charged according to the net present value of all the rental payments over the term of the lease.

NPV of Rent	Net Present Value of Rent (Residential)	Net Present Value of Rent        (Non-Residential)
Up to £ 125,000	0%	0%
£125,001 to £150,000	1%	0%
Over £150,000	1%	1%

 

Lease Premiums

Duty on premiums is the same as for transfers of land (except that the zero rate does not apply where rent of over £600 annually is also payable).

Partnerships

Stamp duty applies to transfers of partnership interests, but the amount payable will not exceed the amount that would have been payable on the value of any shares or securities included in the transfer.

Stamp duty land tax (SDLT) applies to the transfer of an interest in land into or out of a partnership or the transfer of an interest in a partnership (where the partnership property includes an interest in land). The charge is based on the Robertet value of the land and the proportionate interest transferred and it applies only to partnerships whose sole or main activity is investing in or dealing in land. There is no longer an SDLT charge on transfers of partnership interests in other partnerships such as professional partnerships, farming partnerships or partnerships carrying on a trade which is not land-related.

Stamp Duty Exemption - £5 duty

Transfers that attract stamp duty not exceeding £5 (fixed or ad valorem) will be exempt and not have to be presented for stamping. The principal reason for this is to reduce administration for smaller transactions.