Capital Gains Tax on a £200,000 Gain 2026/27
After the £3,000 annual exempt amount, a basic-rate taxpayer (£35,000 other income) owes £46,364 CGT on a £200,000 gain. A higher-rate taxpayer (£55,000 other income) owes £47,280.
On a £200,000 gain CGT is close to a flat 24%: £47,280 for a seller on £55,000 (23.6%) and £46,363.80 on £35,000. The planning that remains is about cash and timing: when the money is due, and keeping it ready.
Which rate does a £200,000 gain pay at different incomes?
| Other income | Band left | At 18% | At 24% | CGT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £20,000 | £30,270 | £30,270 | £166,730 | £45,463.80 |
| £35,000 | £15,270 | £15,270 | £181,730 | £46,363.80 |
| £45,000 | £5,270 | £5,270 | £191,730 | £46,963.80 |
| £55,000 | £0 | £0 | £197,000 | £47,280 |
With £197,000 taxable, a full basic-rate band covers only 19.1% of the gain, even with no other income. The bills at £20,000 and £55,000 of income differ by £1,816.20, 3.8% of the higher figure.1
A set-aside rule from the engine: of every extra £10,000 of gain, £2,400 goes in tax and £7,600 is yours. On this gain a seller on £55,000 keeps £152,720 of the £200,000 after CGT, assuming the whole gain is profit with no costs to deduct.
Can you pay less on a £200,000 gain?
| Option | CGT | Saving |
|---|---|---|
| Sell it all in 2026/27 | £47,280 | - |
| Half before 6 April 2027, half after | £46,560 | £720 |
| Half given first to a spouse with no income | £44,298 | £2,982 |
| Half given first to a spouse earning £35,000 | £45,643.80 | £1,636.20 |
| £10,000 gross pension contribution | £46,963.80 | £316.20 |
| £20,000 gross pension contribution | £46,363.80 | £916.20 |
Spreading the sale over two tax years
Splitting a portfolio sale saves £1,636.20 or £720, a small share of the bill. It also changes when tax is due: a sale on 5 April 2027 is due by 31 January 2028, but a sale on 6 April 2027 not until 31 January 2029.4
Giving half to a spouse or civil partner
A spouse with no income saves £2,982, the same ceiling as smaller gains.2 For a property in joint names, each owner works out their own share of the gain, sets their own £3,000 allowance and basic-rate band against it, and makes their own 60-day return if they have tax to pay; one owner's high income does not drag the other's half into 24%.5
Pensions, ISAs and reliefs
Pension contributions barely register here: a £20,000 gross contribution saves a higher-rate seller £916.20.3 Losses, Private Residence Relief and, for a business, BADR are the reliefs that reduce the gain itself. Whatever applies, set aside the tax from the proceeds when the sale completes. On a long-held share holding, check the cost figure before anything else: shares of the same class bought in several lots are pooled, and it is the pool's average cost that you deduct.8 A dividend reinvestment plan buys shares each time it reinvests, and every one of those purchases joins the pool.
Reporting and paying the tax
Shares sold in 2026/27: the tax is due by 31 January 2028, almost 22 months after a sale on 6 April 2026, and HMRC charges late payment interest after that date.74 Property: within 60 days of completion.5 Proceeds are above £50,000, so the capital gains pages apply.6
Your own figures: use the full calculator → for your sale price, costs, losses and income.
CGT on other gain amounts
Frequently asked questions
What is the CGT on £200,000?
£46,363.80 with £35,000 of income and £47,280 with £55,000, after the allowance: 23.2% and 23.6% of the gain.
When do I pay CGT on a £200,000 share sale?
By 31 January after the end of the tax year: 31 January 2028 for a sale between 6 April 2026 and 5 April 2027. CGT is left out of payments on account, so next year's payments do not rise because of it.
Is a £200,000 property gain taxed more than shares?
No. In 2026/27 both are taxed at 18% and 24%. Property differs in the deadline: 60 days from completion when there is tax to pay.
Figures from our calculator engine, 7 November 2026. Guidance only, not advice.
Sources & references
The rates, allowances and rules in this guide are drawn from the official HMRC and GOV.UK sources below, checked for the 2026/27 tax year. Each link opens the relevant government page in a new tab.
- Capital Gains Tax: rates www.gov.uk/capital-gains-tax/rates
- Capital Gains Tax: gifts to your spouse or charity www.gov.uk/capital-gains-tax/gifts
- Finance Act 2004, section 192: relief at source (basic rate limit increased by the contribution) www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/12/section/192
- Report and pay CGT: if you have other capital gains to report www.gov.uk/report-and-pay-your-capital-gains-tax/if-you-have-other-capital-gains-to-report
- Report and pay CGT: if you sold a UK property on or after 6 April 2020 www.gov.uk/report-and-pay-your-capital-gains-tax/if-you-sold-a-property-in-the-uk-on-or-after-6-april-2020
- Self Assessment: Capital Gains summary (SA108) and notes www.gov.uk/government/publications/self-assessment-capital-gains-summary-sa108
- HMRC interest rates for late and early payments www.gov.uk/government/publications/rates-and-allowances-hmrc-interest-rates-for-late-and-early-payments/rates-and-allowances-hmrc-interest-rates
- Shares and Capital Gains Tax (Helpsheet HS284) www.gov.uk/government/publications/shares-and-capital-gains-tax-hs284-self-assessment-helpsheet