A quarter of first-time buyers pay stamp duty

Around a quarter of first-time buyers are paying stamp duty as house prices have soared, analysis has revealed. The HomeOwners Alliance called for an urgent review of the tax, which applies in England and Northern Ireland. The organisation, which made its findings using provisional HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) figures, said around 26% of first-time buyer transactions were liable for stamp duty in the first quarter of this year. This compares with around one in five first-time buyer transactions in the fourth quarter of 2017. Paula Higgins, chief executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, a property advice website, said: "It's clear that the stamp duty tax needs to be reviewed to ensure it's facilitating rather than fettering first-time buyers." 

The Independent (21/06/2022)