CGT is charged on the gain (not the sale price) when you dispose of assets like shares, second properties or a business. The annual exempt amount is £3,000 in 2026/27, and gains above it are taxed at 18% where they fit inside your unused basic-rate band and 24% above it, the same rates for shares and property since October 2024.
Your main home is exempt, as is anything inside ISAs and pensions, and transfers between spouses are tax-free (useful for using both partners' exemptions). Property sales must be reported and paid within 60 days. Plan a disposal with the Capital Gains Tax Calculator.
Selling shares at a £13,000 gain leaves £10,000 taxable after the £3,000 exemption: £1,800 at 18% for a basic-rate taxpayer with band room, £2,400 at 24% otherwise. Transfer half the holding to a spouse before selling and both exemptions apply, cutting the taxable gain to £7,000 and the couple's bill by roughly £720.
