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Stamp Duty Land Tax - relief for first-time buyers
Stamp Duty Land Tax relief for first-time buyers |
You must pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) if you buy a property or land over a certain price in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The current SDLT threshold is £125,000 for residential properties and £150,000 for non-residential land and properties.
However, there are different rules if you are buying your first home. The Autumn 2017 Budget came into effect on the 22 November 2017 and announced that stamp duty land tax (SDLT) for first time buyers purchasing properties up to £300,000 would be permanently abolished. They also announced that less SDLT would be payable on purchases between £300,000 and £500,000.
The table below illustrates the SDLT amount payable before and after the Budget:
Property Price | Before Budget | 22 November Onwards |
£200,000 | £1,500 | £0 |
£208,000 – average first-time buyer property in the UK | £1,660 | £0 |
£300,000 | £5,000 | £0 |
£400,000 | £10,000 | £5,000 |
£410,000 – average first-time buyer property in London | £10,500 | £5,500 |
£500,000 | £15,000 | £10,000 |
Above £500,000 |
| Stamp duty due is unchanged on purchases above £500,000 |
As above, if the purchase price is more than £500,000.00 you will not qualify for any relief and will be required to pay the standard rates on the total purchase price.
Who is classed as a first time buyer?
A “first-time buyer” is someone who has never, either alone or with others, previously acquired a major interest in a dwelling or an equivalent interest in land situated anywhere in the world.
This includes previous acquisitions by inheritance or gift, or by a financial institution on behalf of a person under an alternative finance scheme.
The “first time buyer” must also intend to occupy the dwelling as their only or main residence.
If you are purchasing a property with another person who is not a “first time buyer” as set out above, the transaction will not qualify for the relief.
The relief must be claimed either in a land transaction return or an amendment to that return
If you are considering purchasing your first property please telephone today for a free quote from one of our residential conveyancers.
The contents of this article are intended for general information purposes only and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute legal advice. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss as a result of acts or omissions taken in respect of this article.