CeMAP® questions use a small set of UK tax rates, bands and limits. This page lists the 2026/27 figures (tax year 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027) that the CeMAP units set by Walbrook (LIBF) draw on, with England and Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales shown separately wherever they differ. Each table names its official source. Every figure was checked on 30 October 2026, two days after Budget 2026, which left the 2026/27 tax rates and bands below unchanged. For how these figures are used in workings, see our CeMAP calculations guide; for the exam structure, see the CeMAP pass mark guide.
Which tax year does the CeMAP exam use?
The CeMAP exam's tax year is not stated in any official Walbrook source: the specification and exam pages name no tax year per exam window, and Walbrook instead supplies a tax table with the study materials, so use that table's figures.
The Walbrook CeMAP page lists "a tax table" and "syllabus updates" among the study materials. Because exams are on demand, there is no fixed exam window that lines up with 6 April, and Walbrook does not say when its questions move to new figures. We label every figure on this page "2026/27" so you can compare it with your table.
The syllabus touches tax in four places:
| Criterion | Tax content (our reading) |
|---|---|
| MRT1 AC8.1 | "Relevant taxes" on a purchase: SDLT, LBTT or LTT |
| ASEW AC2.7 | "Taxation implications related to property ownership": property tax, landlord tax, CGT |
| FRE1 AC1.3 | The government's role in "taxation and social welfare" |
| ASEW AC5.3 | "State benefits and reliefs to support mortgage payments" |
Exam tip: Learn the structure of each tax (who pays, on what, by when) more deeply than the exact thresholds. Structure does not change each April; numbers do.
What are the income tax rates and allowances for 2026/27?
The income tax rates for 2026/27 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are 20% basic, 40% higher and 45% additional, above a £12,570 personal allowance; the basic rate runs to £50,270 and the higher rate to £125,140, with the allowance tapered above £100,000.
| Band (England, Wales, NI) | Gross income | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Personal allowance | Up to £12,570 | 0% |
| Basic rate | £12,571 to £50,270 | 20% |
| Higher rate | £50,271 to £125,140 | 40% |
| Additional rate | Over £125,140 | 45% |
- The personal allowance falls by £1 for every £2 of adjusted net income over £100,000, reaching nil at £125,140.
- The marriage allowance lets a spouse or civil partner transfer £1,260 of allowance.
- The Senedd sets Welsh rates, which currently match England and Northern Ireland.
Source: gov.uk income tax rates.
Scotland sets its own bands for non-savings, non-dividend income. With the standard personal allowance, the 2026/27 bands are:
| Scottish band | Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | £12,571 to £16,537 | 19% |
| Basic | £16,538 to £29,526 | 20% |
| Intermediate | £29,527 to £43,662 | 21% |
| Higher | £43,663 to £75,000 | 42% |
| Advanced | £75,001 to £125,140 | 45% |
| Top | Over £125,140 | 48% |
Source: gov.uk Scottish income tax. Scottish taxpayers pay UK rates on savings and dividend income.
Key fact: Income tax thresholds are frozen, so the £12,570 allowance and £50,270 higher-rate threshold are the same for 2026/27 as for earlier years.
What are the National Insurance rates for 2026/27?
The National Insurance rates for 2026/27 are 8% for employees on earnings from £12,570 to £50,270 and 2% above, 15% for employers above £5,000 a year, and 6% and 2% Class 4 for the self-employed on the same profit thresholds.
| Class | Who pays | 2026/27 rate |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 employee | Employees | 8% on £12,570 to £50,270 (£242 to £967 a week); 2% above |
| Class 1 employer | Employers | 15% above the secondary threshold of £96 a week (about £5,000 a year) |
| Class 2 | Self-employed | No compulsory payment; treated as paid on profits of £7,105 or more; voluntary £3.65 a week below that |
| Class 3 | Voluntary | £18.40 a week |
| Class 4 | Self-employed | 6% on profits of £12,570 to £50,270; 2% above |
Source: gov.uk National Insurance rates. National Insurance matters in CeMAP mainly when a question works from gross to net pay for affordability.
Exam tip: Net income for an MCOB 11.6 affordability check is income after tax and National Insurance. If a question gives only gross pay, look for the deductions elsewhere in the case.
What are the stamp duty land tax rates in England and Northern Ireland?
The stamp duty land tax rates in England and Northern Ireland are 0% to £125,000, 2% to £250,000, 5% to £925,000, 10% to £1.5 million and 12% above, charged slice by slice; first-time buyers pay 0% to £300,000 on homes up to £500,000.
| Residential slice | Standard rate | Additional dwellings |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% | 5% |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | 2% | 7% |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | 5% | 10% |
| £925,001 to £1.5 million | 10% | 15% |
| Over £1.5 million | 12% | 17% |
- First-time buyer relief: 0% on the first £300,000 and 5% on £300,001 to £500,000. Above £500,000 there is no relief at all. Every buyer must be a first-time buyer.
- Additional dwellings: 5 percentage points on every band since 31 October 2024. It does not apply when replacing a main residence that is sold within 36 months.
- Non-UK residents: a further 2 percentage points on top of all other rates.
- Companies: 17% on the whole price for dwellings over £500,000.
- Deadline: the return and payment are due within 14 days of completion.
Source: gov.uk SDLT residential rates. The gov.uk worked example gives £4,750 on a £295,000 home: 2% of £125,000 plus 5% of £45,000.
Key fact: The SDLT bands in this table have applied since 1 April 2025. Older material with a £250,000 nil band or a £425,000 first-time buyer threshold is out of date.
What are the LBTT rates in Scotland?
The land and buildings transaction tax rates in Scotland are 0% to £145,000, 2% to £250,000, 5% to £325,000, 10% to £750,000 and 12% above; first-time buyers get a £175,000 nil band, and the Additional Dwelling Supplement is 8% of the whole price.
| Residential slice | LBTT rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £145,000 | 0% |
| £145,001 to £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 to £325,000 | 5% |
| £325,001 to £750,000 | 10% |
| Over £750,000 | 12% |
- First-time buyer relief: the nil band rises to £175,000, a saving of up to £600. There is no maximum price.
- Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS): 8% of the total price, for contracts from 5 December 2024. It does not apply below £40,000, and the window to sell a previous main residence is 36 months.
- Deadline: the return is due within 30 days, starting the day after the effective date.
Source: Revenue Scotland LBTT residential rates. Revenue Scotland's own example gives £63,350 on an £875,000 home. How LBTT fits the Scottish buying process is on our ASEW vs ASSC page.
Exam tip: ADS is a percentage of the whole price, not an extra rate on each band. On a £300,000 second home in Scotland it adds £24,000.
What are the LTT rates in Wales?
The land transaction tax rates in Wales are 0% to £225,000, 6% to £400,000, 7.5% to £750,000, 10% to £1.5 million and 12% above; Wales has no first-time buyer relief, and higher rates for additional homes run on separate bands from 5%.
| Main residential slice | LTT rate | Higher rates slice | Higher rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to £225,000 | 0% | Up to £180,000 | 5% |
| £225,001 to £400,000 | 6% | £180,001 to £250,000 | 8.5% |
| £400,001 to £750,000 | 7.5% | £250,001 to £400,000 | 10% |
| £750,001 to £1.5 million | 10% | £400,001 to £750,000 | 12.5% |
| Over £1.5 million | 12% | £750,001 to £1.5 million | 15% |
| — | — | Over £1.5 million | 17% |
- First-time buyers: no relief in LTT.
- Deadline: the return is due within 30 days, starting the day after the effective date.
Source: Welsh Government LTT rates and bands. Its example gives £3,300 on a £280,000 home: 6% of £55,000. The order of events from offer to registration is on our conveyancing process guide.
Key fact: ASEW covers England and Wales. A property in Wales pays LTT, not SDLT, so check the address in a case before you calculate.
What are the savings, ISA and pension allowances?
The savings, ISA and pension allowances for 2026/27 are a £1,000 personal savings allowance for basic-rate taxpayers, a £500 dividend allowance, a £20,000 ISA allowance, a £4,000 Lifetime ISA limit and a £60,000 pension annual allowance.
| Allowance | 2026/27 figure |
|---|---|
| Personal savings allowance | £1,000 basic rate; £500 higher rate; £0 additional rate |
| Starting rate for savings | 0% on up to £5,000 of interest, if other income is under £17,570 |
| Dividend allowance | £500 |
| Dividend rates | 10.75% ordinary; 35.75% upper; 39.35% additional |
| ISA allowance | £20,000 |
| Lifetime ISA | £4,000 a year within the £20,000; 25% bonus; open at 18 to 39; first home up to £450,000 |
| Lifetime ISA charges | 25% on an unauthorised withdrawal; 20% for a first home over £450,000 (from 29 October 2026) |
| Junior ISA | £9,000 |
| Pension annual allowance | £60,000; tapered if threshold income exceeds £200,000 and adjusted income £260,000 |
| Money purchase annual allowance | £10,000, after flexibly accessing a pension |
| Lump sum allowance | £268,275 of tax-free cash |
Sources: gov.uk ISAs, gov.uk dividend tax and gov.uk pension annual allowance.
The cash ISA position changed on 28 October 2026. A cut to £12,000 for under-65s from April 2027 had been made law, but Budget 2026 reversed it, so the cash limit stays at £20,000; the revoking regulations are due in November 2026. The dividend rates rose by 2 points from 6 April 2026.
Exam tip: Lifetime ISA questions turn on three numbers: £4,000 a year, a 25% bonus, and the £450,000 property cap.
What are the capital gains tax and inheritance tax figures?
The capital gains tax and inheritance tax figures for 2026/27 are a £3,000 CGT annual exempt amount with rates of 18% and 24%, and an IHT nil-rate band of £325,000 plus a £175,000 residence nil-rate band, with tax at 40% above them.
| Tax | 2026/27 figure |
|---|---|
| CGT annual exempt amount | £3,000 (£1,500 for most trusts) |
| CGT rates | 18% within the basic-rate band; 24% above, including residential property |
| CGT on UK residential property | Report and pay within 60 days of completion; private residence relief usually exempts the main home |
| IHT nil-rate band | £325,000; any unused part passes to a spouse or civil partner |
| IHT residence nil-rate band | £175,000, for a home left to direct descendants; withdrawn by £1 for every £2 of estate over £2 million |
| IHT rate | 40% on death; 36% if 10% or more of the net estate goes to charity |
| Annual gift exemption | £3,000; unused amount carries forward one year only |
| Small gifts | £250 per recipient |
| Seven-year rule | Gifts are free of IHT if the giver survives 7 years; taper relief reduces the tax from year 3 |
Sources: gov.uk capital gains tax and gov.uk inheritance tax. From 6 April 2027 most unused pension funds will come into the estate for IHT. Wills and the estate rules are covered on our wills and trusts guide.
Key fact: The 28% CGT rate on residential property has gone. Since 6 April 2024, residential gains above the basic-rate band are taxed at 24%.
What are the FSCS and FOS limits?
The FSCS and FOS limits in 2026/27 are £120,000 per person per bank for deposits, £85,000 for investments and mortgage advice, and an ombudsman award limit of £455,000 for complaints about acts on or after 1 April 2019 referred from 1 April 2026.
| Scheme | Limit |
|---|---|
| FSCS deposits | £120,000 per eligible person per authorised firm, for failures from 1 December 2025 (£240,000 for a joint account) |
| FSCS temporary high balances | Up to £1.4 million for 6 months, after life events such as a house sale |
| FSCS investments | £85,000 per person per firm |
| FSCS home finance (mortgage advice and arranging) | £85,000 per person per firm |
| FSCS insurance | 100% for compulsory and long-term cover such as life; 90% for other insurance, with no cap |
| FOS award limit | £455,000 (acts from 1 April 2019); £205,000 (earlier acts), for complaints referred 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 |
| Complaint deadlines | Firm: 8 weeks for a final response. Customer: 6 months from the final response to refer to the FOS |
Sources: FSCS: what we cover and the Financial Ombudsman Service. These are FSRE topics (FRE2 AC7.2) rather than tax, but candidates look for them in the same place. Our FSCS and FOS guide explains how each scheme works.
Exam tip: The FSCS limit is per person per authorised firm, not per account. Two brands sharing one banking licence share one £120,000 limit.
How do CeMAP questions test tax figures?
CeMAP questions test tax figures mainly through property: an SDLT, LBTT or LTT calculation in MRT1 or a CeMAP 3 case, a landlord's tax position under ASEW AC2.7, and occasionally an allowance such as the £20,000 ISA limit or a Lifetime ISA bonus.
Typical question shapes, from our reading of the syllabus:
- Purchase tax on a stated price. Work the slices; watch for first-time buyer status, an additional dwelling or a Welsh address.
- Which tax applies. SDLT, LBTT or LTT by location; ADS versus the SDLT surcharge.
- Landlord tax. An individual landlord cannot deduct mortgage interest from rental profit; instead they get a 20% tax credit on the finance costs (section 24, fully in place since April 2020). Companies still deduct interest. This is one reason lenders apply a higher rental cover test to higher-rate taxpayers; see our buy-to-let mortgages guide.
- CGT on a second home. 18% or 24% on the gain above £3,000, reported within 60 days.
- Deposits from savings. A Lifetime ISA used for a first home, or a gift from parents and its IHT position.
Practise property tax arithmetic in the ASEW specialist lending drill and the MRT1 fees and charges drill.
Key fact: Budget 2026 announced property income tax rates of 24%, 44% and 49% from 6 April 2027 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. They are announced, not law, so don't use them for 2026/27 questions.
Your next step
Your next step is to compare this page with the tax table in your Walbrook study materials, note any figure that differs, then practise 20 property tax calculations under time until each takes under two minutes.
- Copy the SDLT, LBTT and LTT bands onto one sheet, labelled "2026/27".
- When your Walbrook materials arrive, correct the sheet to their tax table and use that version from then on.
- Work the examples on our calculations page without looking at the answers.
- Take the free ASEW mock 1 and check every tax question against your sheet.
- Drill the topics you miss; the topic drills come with Pro.
We re-check every figure on this page each 6 April and on each Budget day, and change the "updated" date when we do.
Frequently asked questions
+Does CeMAP give you a tax table in the exam?
Walbrook says its CeMAP study materials include a tax table, but its public exam pages do not say whether a table is shown on screen during the exam. Read the Brightspace instructions before you start, and learn the main thresholds so you can work without one if needed.
+When do CeMAP tax figures change?
Tax rates usually change on 6 April, the start of the UK tax year, and some property tax changes take effect on other dates set at a Budget. Walbrook does not publish when its exams switch to new figures, so follow the tax table and syllabus updates in your study materials.
+Do I need Scottish income tax for CeMAP?
The syllabus does not name Scottish income tax, but income tax is part of a customer's net income, so it can matter in an affordability question. Know that Scotland has six bands for 2026/27, from 19% to 48%, and that savings and dividend income use UK rates.
+What is the stamp duty first-time buyer threshold?
In England and Northern Ireland, first-time buyers pay no SDLT on the first £300,000 and 5% on the part from £300,001 to £500,000. Above £500,000 the relief is lost completely and standard rates apply. Every buyer must be a first-time buyer.
+What is the FSCS limit in 2026?
The FSCS protects deposits up to £120,000 per person per authorised bank, building society or credit union, for failures from 1 December 2025. Investments and mortgage advice or arranging remain protected up to £85,000. Temporary high balances get up to £1.4 million for 6 months.
+Are the 2027 changes in the exam?
Treat them as announced, not current. Budget 2026 announced savings and property income tax rates of 24%, 44% and 49% from 6 April 2027, which still need legislation. Answer exam questions with the figures in Walbrook's tax table, and use the current 2026/27 rates where no table is given.
Keep reading
- CeMAP Calculations: Every Formula You Need, With Worked ExamplesCeMAP calculations explained: LTV, loan to income, SDLT, LBTT and LTT, ERCs, buy-to-let ICR, repayment costs and sums assured, each with a worked example.
- Buy-to-Let Mortgages for CeMAP: Regulation, Rental Cover and TaxBuy to let mortgage rules for CeMAP: regulation, consumer buy-to-let, the PRA rental cover test with a worked ICR, deposits, section 24 tax and let to buy.
- ASEW vs ASSC: Which CeMAP 3 Paper Should You Sit?ASEW vs ASSC: the two CeMAP 3 papers compared. Same format and LO1 to LO5, a different LO6 on Scottish law, missives and LBTT, and how to choose.
- The FSCS and the Financial Ombudsman Service for CeMAP FRE2FSCS and FOS for CeMAP FRE2: complaint handling rules, the 8-week and 6-month limits, FOS award limits, FSCS cover and what happens if a lender fails.
- The Conveyancing Process Step by Step: England, Wales and ScotlandThe conveyancing process step by step for CeMAP 3: exchange and completion in England and Wales, Scottish missives, tenure and land tax returns.