THE 20 locations where first-time buyers will have to fork out an additional £5,805 in Stamp Duty from April 1 have been revealed.
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a one-off payment you need to make when buying property over a certain value.
However, the temporary Stamp Duty holiday, introduced in 2022, is ending next month, meaning higher tax bills for many.
Currently, first-time buyers benefit from no Stamp Duty on properties up to £425,000 and a reduced rate of 5% on the portion between £425,001 and £625,000.
For other buyers, they don't have to pay any stamp duty up to £250,000.
However, these thresholds are reverting to pre-2022 levels. From April, first-time buyers will pay no Stamp Duty up to just £300,000, and 5% on the value between £300,001 and £500,000.
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Above £500,000, standard rates will apply.
The 0% threshold for other homebuyers will return to £125,000.
These changes will result in a much larger proportion of buyers paying Stamp Duty - especially first-time buyers.
The Sun has identified the areas where first-time buyers are most likely to feel the impact of the recent changes, based on a new study.
The research, carried out by property information platform Property Buyers Today for The Sun, analysed the average property prices for first-time buyers across English local authorities.
It then calculated the additional Stamp Duty costs under the updated tax regulations, focusing on areas that were previously exempt due to property prices falling below the £450,000 threshold.
The study revealed that Hounslow in West London can expect to see the largest jump in Stamp Duty paid by first-time buyers.
First-time buyers paying the average house price of £416,097 will need to pay £5,805 in SDLT from April 1.
Greenwich, in southeast London, will see the second highest amount paid, with Stamp Duty costing £5,643.
The average first-time buyer property costs £412,854 and residents previously benefited from not having to pay Stamp Duty.
In third place is Epsom and Ewell in Surrey.
Here, first-time buyers will now be paying £5,518 for an average first-time property price of £410,355.
In fourth place is Sevenoaks in Kent. A commuter town for many who work in London, first-time buyers will now be paying £5,408 in Stamp Duty for an average property price of £408,152.
Fifth on the list is Hertsmere, in Hertfordshire, where first-time buyers can expect to pay £5,372 in SDLT for an average property costing £407,448.
South Oxfordshire ranks in sixth place with SDLT for an average first-time buyer property costing £5,134.
This is followed in seventh place by Lewisham, in London, where the average first-time buyer will now need to pay £5,111 on property costing £402,221.
In eighth place is Bromley, also within Greater London.
Here, first-time buyers paying the average first-time property cost of £397,962 can expect to pay £4,898 in Stamp Duty.
First-time buyers in Newham, another London borough, should expect to pay £4,857 in SDLT, while those in Guildford, Surrey, will face a slightly lower charge of £4,735 for an average property priced at £394,708.
Additionally, first-time buyers in areas such as Enfield, Hillingdon, Mole Valley, Wokingham, Tandridge, Tunbridge Wells, the Cotswolds, and Bath and Northeast Somerset will see SDLT charges ranging between £4,074 and £4,690 from 1 April.
What is stamp duty?
STAMP duty land tax (SDLT) is a lump sum payment anyone buying a property or piece of land over a certain price has to pay.
You pay the tax when you:
- Buy a freehold property
- Buy a new or existing leasehold
- Buy a property through a shared ownership scheme
- Land is transferred to you or property in exchange for payment, for example, you take on a mortgage or buy a share in a house
The rate you pay depends on the price and type of property and certain thresholds.
If you are a first-time buyer no stamp duty is due if the property is worth £425,000 or less.
You'll also get a discount if the purchase price is £625,000 or less and will only pay 5% SDLT on the portion from £425,001 to £625,000.
Those who aren't first-time buyers will pay different rates depending on the value of their new home:
- If it's up to £250,000 - no stamp duty is paid
- For the next £675,000 (the portion from £250,001 to £925,000) - stamp duty is charged at 5%
- For the next £575,000 (the portion from £925,001 to £1.5million) - stamp duty is charged at 10%
- For the remaining amount (the portion above £1.5million) - stamp duty is charged at 12%
For example, if you are buying a home worth £300,000 you would pay stamp duty at a 5% rate on the £50,000 - £2,500.
You'll usually have to pay 5% on top of SDLT rates if buying a new residential property means you’ll own more than one.
How can I calculate how much stamp duty I'll pay from April?
Calculating the stamp duty you'll owe is simple, thanks to a number of free online calculators.
For example, you can use the government's Money Helper tool to show how much you will have to pay for purchases that complete before April 1.
You can find out more by visiting moneyhelper.org.uk/en/homes/buying-a-home/stamp-duty-calculator.
Alternatively, the website stampdutycalculator.org.uk can help you determine how much stamp duty you'll need to pay on a property transaction both now and after April 1.
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Simply select whether you are a first-time buyer, moving home, or purchasing an additional property.
Next, enter the property’s purchase price, and the tool will provide two figures: the Stamp Duty payable up to March 31 and the Stamp Duty payable from April 1 onwards.
How to get the best deal on your mortgage
IF you're looking for a traditional type of mortgage, getting the best rates depends entirely on what's available at any given time.
There are several ways to land the best deal.
Usually the larger the deposit you have the lower the rate you can get.
If you're remortgaging and your loan-to-value ratio (LTV) has changed, you'll get access to better rates than before.
Your LTV will go down if your outstanding mortgage is lower and/or your home's value is higher.
A change to your credit score or a better salary could also help you access better rates.
And if you're nearing the end of a fixed deal soon it's worth looking for new deals now.
You can lock in current deals sometimes up to six months before your current deal ends.
Leaving a fixed deal early will usually come with an early exit fee, so you want to avoid this extra cost.
But depending on the cost and how much you could save by switching versus sticking, it could be worth paying to leave the deal - but compare the costs first.
To find the best deal use a mortgage comparison tool to see what's available.
You can also go to a mortgage broker who can compare a much larger range of deals for you.
Some will charge an extra fee but there are plenty who give advice for free and get paid only on commission from the lender.
You'll also need to factor in fees for the mortgage, though some have no fees at all.
You can add the fee - sometimes more than £1,000 - to the cost of the mortgage, but be aware that means you'll pay interest on it and so will cost more in the long term.
You can use a mortgage calculator to see how much you could borrow.
Remember you'll have to pass the lender's strict eligibility criteria too, which will include affordability checks and looking at your credit file.
You may also need to provide documents such as utility bills, proof of benefits, your last three month's payslips, passports and bank statements.