What has Labour said about stamp duty?

Critics say stamp duty is clogging up the property market, but the chancellor is unlikely to address it in her Budget

House with 'sold' sign
(Image credit: Nick White via Getty Images)

No tax is popular, but stamp duty is more unpopular than most. Moving house is probably the most expensive thing you will ever do – and a stamp duty bill can add thousands of pounds to the overall cost.

Over the past year, UK house prices have risen to £290,000 on average, leaving the typical buyer with a stamp duty bill in the region of £2,000 at current rates. This rises to £13,550 for buyers in London, where the average house price is £521,000.

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Katie Williams
Staff Writer

Katie has a background in investment writing and is interested in everything to do with personal finance, politics, and investing. She enjoys translating complex topics into easy-to-understand stories to help people make the most of their money.

Katie believes investing shouldn’t be complicated, and that demystifying it can help normal people improve their lives.

Before joining the MoneyWeek team, Katie worked as an investment writer at Invesco, a global asset management firm. She joined the company as a graduate in 2019. While there, she wrote about the global economy, bond markets, alternative investments and UK equities.

Katie loves writing and studied English at the University of Cambridge. Outside of work, she enjoys going to the theatre, reading novels, travelling and trying new restaurants with friends.