UK Capital Gains Tax Calculator

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is charged on the profit you make when you dispose of an asset, not on the total sale price. You take the disposal proceeds, subtract the original cost, allowable buying and selling costs and any capital improvements, then deduct your annual exempt amount of £3,000. The remaining gain is stacked on top of your taxable income: any part that falls within your unused basic-rate band is taxed at 18%, and the rest is taxed at 24%.

For the 2025/26 tax year the annual exempt amount (the tax-free CGT allowance) is £3,000 for individuals and £1,500 for most trusts. This has fallen sharply from £12,300 in 2022/23. The allowance cannot be carried forward — if you do not use it in a tax year, it is lost.

For disposals in 2025/26, individuals pay 18% on gains that fall within their remaining basic-rate band and 24% on gains above it. This applies to both residential property and other assets such as shares, funds and crypto, following the alignment of rates in the October 2024 Budget. Trustees and personal representatives pay a flat 24%.

Usually no. Private Residence Relief exempts the gain on a property that has been your only or main residence throughout your period of ownership. Relief can be restricted if you let the property, used part of it exclusively for business, own very large grounds, or were absent for long periods. Second homes and buy-to-let properties do not qualify and are fully within CGT.

Your gains are treated as the top slice of your income for rate purposes. If your taxable income is below the higher-rate threshold, part of your gain may be taxed at the 18% basic rate. Once your income plus gain exceeds the threshold (broadly £50,270 of taxable income), the excess is taxed at 24%. A higher income therefore pushes more of your gain into the 24% band.

Gains on UK residential property must be reported and the tax paid within 60 days of completion using HMRC’s online UK Property Disposal service. This is much tighter than the deadline for other assets, which are reported through your Self Assessment tax return by 31 January following the end of the tax year.

Yes. Disposing of shares, unit trusts, OEICs, ETFs and similar investments outside a tax wrapper can trigger CGT on the gain. Assets held inside an ISA or a registered pension are exempt from UK CGT. Share pooling and the 30-day “bed and breakfasting” rule determine which cost is matched to a disposal, so timing matters.

Non-residents are generally outside UK CGT on most assets, but since April 2015 they pay CGT on disposals of UK residential property, and since April 2019 on UK commercial property and interests in “property-rich” companies. Temporary non-residence rules can also claw back gains realised during a short period abroad. Cross-border investors should take advice before disposing.

From 6 April 2025 the remittance basis was abolished and replaced by a residence-based regime. Long-term UK residents are now taxable on worldwide gains as they arise, with transitional rules for those previously on the remittance basis. This is a major change for internationally mobile and high-net-worth individuals, and personalised advice is essential.

Yes. Transfers of assets between spouses or civil partners who live together are made on a no gain, no loss basis, so they do not trigger CGT. By transferring an asset (or a share of it) before sale, a couple can use two annual exempt amounts and potentially have part of the gain taxed at the lower rate in the hands of the lower earner.

Capital losses in the same tax year are set against gains before the annual exempt amount is applied. Unused losses can be carried forward indefinitely and used in future years, but only down to the level that preserves your annual exempt amount. Losses must generally be claimed within four years of the end of the tax year in which they arose.

Business Asset Disposal Relief (formerly Entrepreneurs’ Relief) reduces the CGT rate on qualifying disposals of trading businesses and certain shares, subject to a £1 million lifetime limit. The relief rate rose to 14% for disposals from 6 April 2025 and is set to rise again to 18% from 6 April 2026, so timing a sale around these dates can materially change the tax due.

No. This tool gives a headline estimate using the standard 18% and 24% rates and the £3,000 annual exempt amount. It does not model Business Asset Disposal Relief, Private Residence Relief, Investors’ Relief, gift holdover relief, EIS/SEIS reliefs or losses. Where these apply your actual liability can be significantly lower, so use the estimate as a starting point only.

Common strategies include using your annual exempt amount each year, spreading disposals across tax years, transferring assets to a spouse, harvesting capital losses, holding investments within ISAs or pensions, claiming available reliefs, and making pension contributions or Gift Aid donations to extend your basic-rate band so more of the gain is taxed at 18%. The right mix depends on your wider position.

Yes. HMRC treats most crypto held by individuals as an investment asset, so disposing of it — including selling for fiat, swapping one token for another, or using it to pay for goods — is a chargeable event for CGT. The same 18% and 24% rates and the £3,000 annual exempt amount apply, and detailed records of acquisition costs are essential.

Keep evidence of what you paid for an asset, the disposal proceeds, dates, and all allowable costs such as legal fees, stamp duty, valuation fees and the cost of capital improvements. For shares you need acquisition dates and prices to apply the pooling rules. HMRC can enquire into returns for several years, so retaining clear records protects your position.

CGT rarely sits in isolation for internationally mobile clients. Domicile, residence, double tax treaties, US–UK interaction, trust structures, carried interest and the new 2025 foreign income and gains regime all affect the outcome, and mistakes can be costly. Jungle Tax specialises in US and UK cross-border planning for high-net-worth individuals and can model your position precisely.