Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the reduced first time buyer stamp duty threshold (1) discourages individuals from buying flats as their first property, or (2) encourages individuals to delay their purchase until they can utilise the discount for a larger property.

First time buyers benefit from paying no Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) up to £300,000 and pay a reduced rate on purchases up to £500,000. This includes those buying flats and larger properties under the threshold. 155,400 transactions benefited from First-Time Buyers’ Relief (FTBR) in the financial year 2024 to 2025. The Government is not aware of any evidence to suggest that the reduced first-time buyer stamp duty threshold causes first-time buyers not to buy flats or to delay purchasing property.