Capital Gains Tax
Calculator UK 2026

Following the 30 October 2024 Budget, individual CGT rates are 18% for gains falling within the basic-rate income band and 24% for gains in the higher-rate band — applied uniformly to both residential property (excluding main residence) and other assets like shares, ETFs, and crypto. Before 30 October 2024, non-property gains were 10%/20%. Trustees and personal representatives pay a flat 24% on all gains. Annual Exempt Amount (AEA) is £3,000 — down from £6,000 in 2023-24 and £12,300 in 2022-23. Carried interest disposals are taxed at 32%.

Your taxable gain after AEA is added on top of your taxable income (after Personal Allowance £12,570) for CGT rate purposes. If the combined total stays within the basic-rate band (up to £50,270 in 2025-26), the gain is taxed at 18%. Any gain pushing total income above £50,270 is taxed at 24%. Example: salary £40,000 (taxable income £27,430) leaves £22,840 of basic-rate band remaining. A £30,000 capital gain after AEA would have £22,840 taxed at 18% and £7,160 at 24%.

Yes — the Principal Private Residence (PPR) relief in section 222 TCGA 1992 generally exempts your main home from CGT for the periods you lived there as your only or main residence, plus the final 9 months automatically. Conditions: must be your main home, used as residence (not held purely for investment), and grounds typically up to half a hectare. Letting Relief was severely restricted from April 2020 — now only available where you shared occupation with the tenant. Multiple homes: you can nominate which is your main residence within 2 years of acquiring an additional property.

The Annual Exempt Amount (AEA) is the tax-free CGT allowance per individual per tax year. For 2025-26 it is £3,000, applying to total gains across all assets. Trusts get half: £1,500. The AEA was £6,000 in 2023-24 and £12,300 in 2022-23 before being reduced. Married couples and civil partners each get £3,000 — there is benefit in transferring assets between spouses before sale to use both allowances (no CGT on inter-spouse transfers under s.58 TCGA 1992). The AEA cannot be carried forward — use it or lose it each year.

HMRC treats most cryptoassets as 'chargeable assets' for CGT, not currency. Each disposal — selling for fiat, swapping one crypto for another, using crypto to pay for goods/services, or gifting (other than to spouse) — is a CGT event. Pooling rules apply: same-day rule, 30-day rule, and Section 104 pool for the rest. Mining and staking rewards are typically taxed as miscellaneous income or trading income (then form a CGT cost base). HMRC's Cryptoassets Manual provides guidance, and exchange data-matching with platforms like Coinbase, Kraken, Binance is widespread. Penalties of 30-100% apply for deliberate non-disclosure.

The 'allowable cost' (cost base) includes: (1) acquisition cost — what you paid plus stamp duty, legal fees, broker commissions, valuation fees. (2) capital expenditure to enhance the asset (improvements, not repairs) that's still reflected in the asset at disposal. (3) costs of establishing or defending title. (4) Disposal costs — agent fees, advertising, legal fees on sale — reduce the proceeds. For shares acquired in tranches, the Section 104 pooling rules average the cost. For inherited assets, the cost base is the probate value (market value at date of death).

Legitimate strategies (not advice — describes mechanics): (1) Use the £3,000 Annual Exempt Amount each year. (2) Transfer assets to a spouse/civil partner before sale at no-gain-no-loss to use their AEA (s.58 TCGA 1992) — the same inter-spouse principle applies to the Inheritance Tax NRB/RNRB transferable allowances; see /uk/tools/inheritance-tax-calculator for the full IHT picture. (3) Hold investments inside an ISA (£20,000/year contribution cap, all gains tax-free) or pension (gains tax-free until withdrawal, then taxed as income with 25% tax-free lump sum). (4) Realise losses to offset gains — current year first, then carry-forward indefinitely. (5) For business asset disposals, Business Asset Disposal Relief (formerly Entrepreneurs' Relief) reduces CGT to 14% on first £1m of qualifying gains in 2025-26, rising to 18% from April 2026. (6) Investors' Relief: 10% rate on up to £1m of gains on qualifying unlisted trading companies.

Two regimes: (1) UK residential property — CGT must be reported AND paid via the Real-Time Capital Gains service (online return) within 60 days of completion (was 30 days pre-27-Oct-2021). (2) Other assets (shares, crypto, business assets) — report on Self Assessment by 31 January following the tax year end (5 April). Tax is paid by 31 January. Quarterly POAs (Payments on Account) may apply for those already in Self Assessment. Foreign residents disposing of UK property must report within 60 days regardless of whether tax is due. Failure to report carries automatic £100 penalty plus daily/percentage penalties for longer delays.

BADR (formerly Entrepreneurs' Relief, renamed April 2020) reduces the CGT rate on qualifying business asset disposals. For 2025-26, the rate is 14% (rising to 18% from 6 April 2026). Lifetime limit: £1 million of qualifying gains. Qualifying disposals: (1) all or part of a business (sole trader/partnership), (2) shares in personal company where you're an employee/director with 5%+ ordinary shares and voting rights, (3) assets used in such a business at cessation. Holding period: usually 2 years before disposal. Investors' Relief is a separate £1m lifetime limit at 10% for qualifying unlisted trading company shares held 3+ years.

Non-UK residents are generally only chargeable to UK CGT on UK land and property (residential and commercial since 2019), and indirect interests (e.g. shares in property-rich companies). Non-resident landlords disposing of UK residential property must report and pay within 60 days via the Real-Time CGT service. The Annual Exempt Amount (£3,000) generally applies. Specific reliefs: 'temporary non-residence' rules can claw back gains for individuals who become non-resident for less than 5 complete tax years and dispose of pre-departure assets. Tax treaties may provide credit for tax paid in country of residence.