Capital Gains Tax is payable on any taxable gain realised by a UK taxpayer in any one tax year upon the sale of an asset. However, there are several exceptions and exemptions available to individuals and, in addition, individuals enjoy an annual tax free allowance, under which no capital gains tax (CGT) is payable.
Some assets are excluded from Capital Gains Tax including ISAs, PEPs or Government Guilts. An individual’s primary residence (usually their home) is currently exempt for the purposes of CGT in most cases and so any gain realised upon its disposal will not usually attract a CGT charge. However, if your home is let out or you are using part of it for business purposes then you may have to pay CGT on all or part of any gain realised.
In any event, even when Capital Gains Tax is payable, it’s important to realise that capital gains tax is payable on the gain after allowing for the costs of the property purchase, the costs of any improvements and the subsequent sale of the asset. Inflation must also be taken into account when calculating the real terms gain. It’s well worth taking professional advice as each case should be judged on its own merits.
Capital Gains Tax is payable if you dispose of an asset that is subject to CGT and so merely giving away your asset or trying to sell it for less than it is worth in order to reduce your CGT liability is unlikely reduce your CGT liability! The tax man will look at the asset’s ‘market value’. That said, gifts to a spouse or charity are usually excluded from Capital Gains Tax.
If you own more than one property (e.g. a holiday home or buy to let) you must elect one as your primary residence for tax purposes. In such cases, the sale of your other premises will be deemed chargeable for CGT purposes when a gain is realised.
The current annual Capital Gains Tax allowance for an UK tax payer for 2016-17 is £11,000. This has been the same since 2015. Remember, if you own an asset jointly, you may well have two allowances to set against the gain in any tax year. Furthermore, if you have lost money on the sale of taxable assets in the past you may want to set these losses against current gains. Check with HMRC for further details.
If you pay higher rate Income Tax then you’ll pay 28% CGT on your gains from residential property and 20% CGT on your gains from other chargeable assets.
If you are a basic rate taxpayer then it’s likely you will pay Capital Gains Tax at 18% on residential property and 10% on other gains. However, if your gains are sufficient to put you into a higher rate income tax bracket when added to your taxable income, your CGT rate may increase.
Related articles:
Download our Free First Time Buyers Guide
Recent posts
Almost one in five equity release mortgages are now taken out to provide financial support to family.
Buyers purchasing properties sooner
2 days ago
According to industry data, the expected wait for those looking to buy a property has dropped from just over 11 months to less than six months.
It is common for your first mortgage payment to be higher than your subsequent monthly payments for two reasons.
What to do just before you get your keys
7 days ago
Firstly, a big congratulations, you’ve now exchanged contracts! After weeks and months of waiting, you are about to move in. What should you do first?
The chancellor will deliver her second budget this autumn. Due to slow economic growth and high inflation, the government need to manage a £40 billion shortfall in public finances. There have already been reports about changes to taxes including income tax and capital gains tax.
Landlords could face a new tax this autumn
29 Aug 2025
The chancellor has advised that landlords could have another tax to pay this autumn as the Treasury decide whether to extend national insurance contributions to rental income.
According to a report in the Guardian, senior ministers have asked Treasury officials to look into a “proportional” property tax to see how it would work as an alternative to the existing stamp duty land tax on owner-occupied homes.
More than a quarter of UK adults in long-term relationships (26%) have reported that despite living together, they keep their finances separate from one another.
More information
Trusted by
