Capital Gains Tax Calculator 2026-27
Calculate your Capital Gains Tax for 2026/27. £3,000 annual exempt amount, 18%/24% rates on all asset types (post Oct 2024 Budget unified rates).
Source: GOV.UK — Capital Gains Tax rates
By Konstantin Iakovlev · Founder, Calks.uk
Last updated: · Verified against HMRC and GOV.UK 2026/27 rates
Quick Answer
UK Capital Gains Tax in 2026/27: £3,000 annual exempt amount, then 18% (basic rate) or 24% (higher rate) on all asset types including residential property. Rates were unified in the October 2024 Budget.
Disclaimer
This calculator is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial or tax advice. All calculations are performed locally in your browser — no personal data is collected or sent to our servers. Rates and thresholds are sourced from HMRC and GOV.UK and are updated for the current tax year. Always verify results with HMRC or consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.
How It Works
Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is charged on the profit you make when you sell or dispose of an asset that has increased in value. For the 2026/27 tax year, the annual exempt amount is £3,000. Gains above this are taxed at different rates depending on the asset type and your income tax band.
Residential property gains are taxed at 18% (basic rate) or 24% (higher/additional rate). All other assets are taxed at 10% (basic rate) or 20% (higher/additional rate). Your unused basic rate band determines which rate applies to your gains.
Your main home is usually exempt under Private Residence Relief. Losses from other disposals in the same or previous tax years can be offset against gains before tax is calculated.
The big October 2024 Budget change. Before 30 October 2024, CGT was 10% (basic rate) or 20% (higher rate) for most assets, and 18%/24% for residential property. The Budget unified rates: now 18% (basic) or 24% (higher) on ALL asset types — shares, crypto, business sales, second properties. The change applies to disposals on or after 30 October 2024. Business Asset Disposal Relief rates also rose: from 10% to 14% (April 2025) and 18% (April 2026). The £1m lifetime BADR limit remains.
The £3,000 Annual Exempt Amount and how to use it. Each person has £3,000 of tax-free gains per tax year (reduced from £12,300 in 2022/23). Married couples and civil partners each get their own £3,000, allowing jointly held assets to use £6,000/year. Unused AEA cannot be carried forward — use it or lose it. Strategy: 'Bed and Spousing' (sell shares, partner buys back identically) lets one spouse crystallise gains using the other's AEA. 'Bed and ISA' (sell taxable shares, immediately rebuy inside an ISA) realises gains within the AEA and shelters future growth.
What counts as a disposal? CGT applies on: selling, gifting (except to spouse or charity), exchanging (including crypto-to-crypto trades), and receiving compensation for damaged or lost assets. Death is NOT a disposal — assets get a 'capital gains uplift' to market value at death. Transfers between spouses are nil-gain/nil-loss. Crypto disposals include using crypto to buy goods, swapping ETH for BTC, or earning yield. The OECD's Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) requires UK exchanges to report user transactions to HMRC from 2026.
Principal Private Residence (PPR) relief. Your main home is exempt from CGT under PPR. To qualify fully, the property must have been your main residence throughout ownership. Time-apportioned relief applies for periods of absence; the final 9 months always count as PPR even if you have moved. Tighter rules apply if you have lived in the property short-term and rented it out (Letting Relief is now restricted to shared-occupancy lets). If you have multiple homes, file a 'PPR election' within 2 years of having a second home to nominate which one is the main residence for tax purposes.
Reporting and paying CGT. Most CGT is reported via Self Assessment by 31 January following the tax year end. UK residential property disposals must be reported separately within 60 days of completion via the gov.uk Capital Gains Tax on UK Property service. Late filing penalties: £100 immediately, then daily £10 penalties after 3 months, plus interest. The CGT 'Real Time' service lets you report and pay non-property gains immediately if you do not want to wait for the year-end return. Crypto disposals must be calculated using the Section 104 'pooling' rules (similar to share matching).
Example: £25,000 gain on shares, higher-rate taxpayer
- Total gain: £25,000
- Less annual exempt amount: −£3,000
- Taxable gain: £22,000
- CGT at 20% (higher rate, non-property): £4,400
Source: GOV.UK — Capital Gains Tax rates
Frequently Asked Questions
- CGT rates after the October 2024 unification.
- Before 30 October 2024: residential property 18%/24%, other assets 10%/20%. After 30 October 2024: ALL asset types 18% (basic-rate taxpayer) or 24% (higher-rate). Business Asset Disposal Relief rates: 10% (pre-April 2025) → 14% (2025/26) → 18% (2026/27). Lifetime BADR limit £1m remains. Annual Exempt Amount £3,000 (down from £12,300 in 2022/23). Married couples each have separate £3,000 — use both.
- Section 104 pooling and crypto matching.
- Same-day rule: shares/crypto bought and sold on same day matched first. 30-day rule: next, matched against purchases in following 30 days (anti-bed-and-breakfasting). Section 104 pool: average cost of all earlier purchases. This means most crypto/shares disposals use weighted average cost, not FIFO or LIFO. Critical for tax calculations — most exchanges don't track Section 104 pooling; use specialist software (Koinly, Recap, CoinTracker).
- 60-day property reporting requirement.
- UK residential property disposals must be reported within 60 days of completion via gov.uk CGT on UK Property service. Pay tax due within same 60 days. Other asset disposals (shares, crypto, non-residential property) reported via annual Self Assessment by 31 January. Late filing penalties: £100 immediate, £10/day from 3 months, plus interest. Real Time Capital Gains Tax service available for ad-hoc reporting before annual return.