Will changes to stamp duty and an extension to the mortgage guarantee scheme make your journey on to the housing ladder easier?
If so then next week’s Autumn Statement is one to watch since home buying is one of the areas likely to be addressed.
It is also hoped a shake-up of the Lifetime ISA – a first-time buyer savings scheme – may also be announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt when he sets out his economic plans for the year ahead.
But what impact will these plans have and are they really going to make a difference to the housing market?
We took a closer look at some of the plans being tipped to be announced next Wednesday (22 November) when the Autumn Statement is unveiled.
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Changes to stamp duty
Stamp duty is a bugbear to most homebuyers. Whilst there are some exemptions – first-time buyers do not pay the tax on the first £425,000 – the rates can eat up a hefty chunk of a buyer’s budget.
Indeed, for other buyers it is charged at 5% between £250,001 and £925,00 and rises to 12% for properties exceeding £1.5million.
Any relief or reduction in stamp duty, therefore, would be a real crowd pleaser say experts. But what, exactly, is the Chancellor planning?
Some have suggested that he may raise the threshold for paying the tax to £500,000 whilst there are also rumours a stamp duty holiday might be introduced, similar to the one brought in during the pandemic.
Sian Steele, head of tax at Evelyn Partners, said: “Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) reliefs and holidays – such as the raising of the threshold to £500,000 for all buyers during the Covid crisis in 2020/21 – are relatively easily implemented, although they do cause angst for those caught on the wrong side of deadlines.
“An often-aired criticism of SDLT holidays is that they will inflate house prices and negate any benefits for buyers, but this could be overplayed. Analysis from HMRC itself earlier this year suggested that while relief from the tax might boost property transactions, the effect on prices could be very muted.”
Many in the industry would prefer a radical overhaul of the system. And there are also concerns changing stamp duty thresholds would artificially inflate the market – creating, like it did during the pandemic, a rush to move house which will hike house prices out of reach for many first-time buyers.
Rohit Kohli, director at The Mortgage Stop, said: “A stamp duty cut is just a short-term shot in the arm to try to get this beleaguered government through the next General Election.
“This isn’t going to help in the long term and whilst it may spur some hesitant buyers to get on with their transactions, it’s not going to fix the fact that we need fundamental changes around how housing policy works in this country.
“Stamp duty cuts will likely see prices continue to rise and it will continue to become harder for first-time buyers to get onto the property ladder.”
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Extending the help to buy Mortgage Guarantee Scheme
The Mortgage Guarantee Scheme was introduced in 2021 to make it easier for first-time buyers with a small deposit of 5% to take out a mortgage.
It’s not easy to borrow as much as 95% of a property’s value – known as a 95% loan-to-value (LTV) mortgage – following tighter rules on lending which were introduced following the financial crisis in 2008.
But because house prices are so high raising more than 5% can be challenging. The Mortgage Guarantee Scheme takes pressure off the lenders offering 95% LTV mortgages as the government guarantees these loans, essentially taking on the risk. It means lenders who are linked the scheme can offer more higher LTVs to borrowers.
It’s available on homes worth up to £600,000 and was due to close in December 2023. However, it is expected the Chancellor will announce its extension in next week’s Autumn Statement.
Michelle Niziol, director and owner of IMS Property Group, said the scheme had opened up the mortgage market to those with deposits of between 5% and 9% and allowed more people to transition from renting to buying.
But she was also concerned the scheme had not seen a huge take-up because, she said, ‘gaining a mortgage under the guarantee scheme doesn’t make any difference to the amount of money you are paying towards your deposit, it just means that you will be able to access more mortgage products’.
She added: “Due to increased access to mortgages caused by the scheme, in some areas, there is a higher demand for homes, putting upward pressure on property prices, especially in areas with limited housing supply, driving competition and increasing prices.
“Great for sellers, but not so much for buyers.
“Broader economic factors, including interest rates and consumer sentiment, can also influence the property market. Changes in these factors can interact with the mortgage guarantee scheme’s impact.”
She added: “Be aware that the bigger the deposit you can raise, the better the mortgage deals will be. If you can stretch to a 10% deposit, you’ll be able to access mortgages with lower interest rates.”
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A shake-up of the Lifetime ISA (LISA) for first-time buyers
The Lifetime ISA (LISA) is a handy savings tool for first-time buyers which allows them to put away up to £4,000 a year until the age of 50, receiving tax-free interest and a 25% bonus from the government.
However, there are restrictions which, as well as the upper age limit, also include a £450,000 ceiling on savers’ first property.
There have been calls for changes to these limits – hiking the maximum age to 55 and lifting the house price restriction – and also to reduce the penalty charge.
Indeed, if you cash in your ISA before you buy a home or retire (the LISA is also used as a pension saving vehicle) you will pay a 25% penalty. There were rumours Jeremy Hunt might reduce this to 20% but other reports suggest he has decided against this plan.
Laura Suter, head of personal finance, AJ Bell, holds out hope it may be included in next week’s announcement.
“During the pandemic the government reduced the withdrawal charge on Lifetime ISAs from 25% down to 20%,” she said, “to allow people to access their savings penalty-free if they found their finances squeezed during the crisis. Disappointingly, this was restored to 25%, rather than changed permanently.
“It feels impossible that the government doesn’t view the current cost-of-living crisis in the same way. Reducing the exit fee would be a low-cost move for the government that would help first-time buyers who saved into their Lifetime ISA in good faith but, due to soaring inflation, now need to dip into their savings.”
She added: “For those refreshing their Rightmove alerts and thinking of buying their first home, news of an increase in the LISA property purchase limit would be a welcome boost.
“The property limit for the Lifetime ISA has remained stubbornly at £450,000 since its launch in April 2017. If the Lifetime ISA limit had increased in line with property prices it would sit at more than £560,000 today.”
