Capital Gains Tax Calculator

Following the October 2024 Autumn Budget, CGT rates for 2026-27 are: Residential property: 18% (basic rate) and 24% (higher/additional rate). Shares, funds, and most other assets: 18% (basic rate) and 24% (higher/additional rate) - note these rates were significantly increased from the previous 10%/20% in October 2024. Business assets with Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR): 18% from April 2025. The annual CGT exemption is £3,000 for 2026-27, significantly reduced from £12,300 in 2022-23 and £6,000 in 2023-24.

Usually no - Private Residence Relief (PRR) exempts your main home from CGT. To qualify: you must have lived in it as your main residence for the entire ownership period, the garden must be below half a hectare, and it must not have been used exclusively for business. The final 9 months of ownership are always exempt even if you've moved out. Letting Relief (formerly up to £40k) is now much more limited - only applies if you've lived in the property simultaneously with tenants. If you've rented it out, the portion of time it wasn't your main home is taxable.

You can deduct: purchase price, solicitor and agent fees on purchase and sale, stamp duty paid on purchase, costs of improvements (NOT maintenance/repairs), valuation fees, advertising costs to find a buyer, and any other costs 'wholly and exclusively' incurred in acquiring or disposing of the asset. You cannot deduct: mortgage interest, insurance, maintenance and repairs, mortgage arrangement fees, or general running costs. Keep all receipts from the date of purchase - HMRC audits can go back many years and receipts are essential to validate deductions.

Every UK individual gets a £3,000 annual Capital Gains Tax exempt amount (2026-27). This means your first £3,000 of net gains each tax year (April 6 to April 5) are completely tax-free. The exemption cannot be carried forward to future tax years - use it or lose it. Married couples and civil partners each get their own £3,000 exemption, so a couple jointly owning assets benefits from £6,000 combined exempt amount. Strategic timing of asset disposals around this exemption can significantly reduce tax - selling assets in two separate tax years to use both years' exemptions.

For UK residential property: you must report and pay CGT within 60 days of completion using HMRC's UK Property Reporting Service - even if you owe nothing else. Late reporting incurs automatic penalties. For other assets (shares, crypto, non-UK property): report via Self Assessment tax return for the relevant tax year, due 31 January following the tax year end. Payment also due 31 January. If your gains are below the £3,000 exemption and your total gains are below £50,000, you may not need to report - but check HMRC guidance as rules are complex.

Yes. HMRC treats cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ethereum, NFTs, etc.) as a capital asset - gains are subject to CGT at the same rates as shares (18%/24% for 2026-27). Taxable events include: selling crypto for fiat currency, exchanging one cryptocurrency for another, using crypto to buy goods/services, receiving crypto as income (then Income Tax applies initially). Losses on crypto can be offset against other capital gains. The 'pooling' rules apply - HMRC's average cost basis method. Many crypto investors underestimate their CGT liability. HMRC is actively investigating unreported crypto gains, working with exchanges.

Yes - several strategies: 1) Use your £3,000 annual exemption each year (sell gradually rather than all at once), 2) Transfer assets to a spouse/civil partner before selling to use both exemptions and potentially their lower tax rate, 3) Put assets in an ISA - future gains are completely tax-free (but transferring existing gain into ISA is a taxable disposal), 4) Time disposal to fall in a lower-income year when you're in basic rate band, 5) Offset losses against gains - realize losses in the same year to reduce your taxable gain, 6) Reinvest in EIS/SEIS schemes for CGT deferral relief. Always consult a tax advisor for substantial gains.