If you sell, gift, transfer, or otherwise dispose of assets such as property, shares, or investments, you may be liable to Capital Gains Tax (CGT). We help individuals understand when CGT applies, how gains are calculated, and how to report disposals accurately and on time.

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Preparing CGT returns and managing payments can be complex, particularly where multiple assets, reliefs, or strict reporting deadlines apply. Having professional support ensures your calculations are accurate, your reporting is fully compliant, and your tax is paid on time — while freeing you to focus on your wider financial priorities.

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When does Capital Gains Tax apply?

You may need to report a disposal and pay Capital Gains Tax where you have sold, gifted, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of an asset and a taxable gain has arisen after taking account of allowable losses and any available exemptions.

A disposal can include the sale of an asset, the transfer of ownership to another person, a gift, an exchange, or certain events that HMRC treats as a disposal even where no money changes hands.

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What assets can be subject to CGT?

Capital Gains Tax can apply to a wide range of assets, including land and buildings, shares and other investments, business assets such as goodwill, interests in UK or overseas property, and certain intangible assets such as cryptoassets held for investment purposes.

Sterling currency itself is not treated as an asset for CGT, but foreign currency holdings may fall within the charge depending on the circumstances.

Different rules, reliefs, exemptions, and reporting deadlines can apply depending on the type of asset and the nature of the disposal.

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How are capital gains calculated?

Capital Gains Tax is charged on the profit made when you dispose of an asset, which is broadly calculated as the disposal proceeds less the original cost of the asset and any allowable costs, such as legal fees or improvement expenditure.

Allowable capital losses from the same tax year, as well as unused losses brought forward from earlier years, can usually be deducted to reduce the taxable gain.

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Annual CGT exemption

Each individual is entitled to an annual Capital Gains Tax exemption, which allows gains up to a set amount to be tax free, provided the exemption has not already been used against other disposals in the same tax year.

For the 2025–26 tax year, the annual exempt amount is £3,000, and spouses or civil partners each have their own separate exemption.

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Important notes

• Even if your gains are below £3,000, you may still need to report them if total disposals exceed certain thresholds or HMRC requires it.

• UK property disposals often must be reported and tax paid within 60 days of completion.

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Reporting and deadlines

Most capital gains must be reported through a Self Assessment tax return, although disposals of UK residential property need to be reported and paid Within 60 days of selling completion.

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How we can help

We provide practical support with identifying chargeable disposals, calculating gains and losses, applying exemptions and reliefs, and completing all required HMRC reporting accurately and efficiently.

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Not sure?

We’ll check for you — quick, clear, and no jargon.

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