UK Capital Gains Tax 2025-26

The 2025-26 UK tax year runs from 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026. Here are the key CGT figures and rules you need to know for your HMRC self-assessment return.

Key Figures for 2025-26

£3,000
Annual Exempt Amount
18%
Basic Rate CGT on Shares
24%
Higher Rate CGT on Shares
31 Jan 2027
Self-Assessment Deadline

CGT Rates on Shares 2025-26

The CGT rates on shares and securities were increased in the Autumn 2024 Budget, effective from 30 October 2024. The new rates apply to all disposals in the 2025-26 tax year:

TaxpayerRate (from Oct 2024)Previous Rate
Basic rate18%10%
Higher / additional rate24%20%

Your rate depends on whether your total income (including gains) falls within the basic rate band (up to £50,270 for 2025-26) or above it.

Annual Exempt Amount

The Annual Exempt Amount (AEA) for 2025-26 is £3,000. This is unchanged from 2024-25. You only pay CGT on gains above this threshold.

Example: If your total gains for 2025-26 are £8,000, you pay CGT on £5,000 (£8,000 minus the £3,000 exempt amount).

Unused AEA cannot be carried forward to future tax years.

When Must You Report?

You must report capital gains on your Self Assessment tax return if:

The deadline to submit your 2025-26 Self Assessment and pay any CGT due is 31 January 2027 (for online returns).

HMRC Share Matching Rules

HMRC requires shares to be matched in a specific order to prevent tax avoidance:

  1. Same-day rule — buys and sells on the same day are matched first
  2. Bed and breakfast rule — sells matched with buys within the following 30 days
  3. Section 104 pool — remaining shares matched against your average cost pool

Our calculator applies all three rules automatically. Read our full CGT guide for detailed explanations.

Calculate Your 2025-26 CGT

Upload your brokerage activity files. Our free calculator applies all HMRC rules and generates an HMRC-ready report for your self-assessment return.

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Supports Interactive Brokers, Charles Schwab, Trading 212, Vanguard UK, and more.