Scottish Government says help for home buyers will be available from next week
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Homebuyers in Scotland will be able to take advantage of reduced rates of Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) from next week.
The threshold at which LBTT begins to be paid will rise from £145,000 to £250,000 on Wednesday and remain in place until March 31 next year.
Excluding the Additional Dwelling Supplement, the Scottish Government says it means that 80 per cent of home purchasers will pay no LBTT and home movers buying a home costing more than £250,000 will save £2100.
Finance Secretary Kate Forbes who announced the aid package yesterday said: “I am delighted that we are able to implement this measure quickly and remove uncertainty from the market.
“The UK government had weeks to prepare for its decision this week to raise the threshold at which Stamp Duty Land Tax is paid on house purchases in England and Wales, yet we were given no advance notice.
“We responded yesterday to clarify our policy intentions and by introducing the change so rapidly we are providing certainty to people in the process of purchasing a home.
"Overall, increasing the LBTT threshold will help increase housing market activity, boost the construction sector and stimulate our economy.
“Alongside this distinctive Scottish approach to raising the starting threshold for LBTT, I am also targetting further support in other areas. For example, we are injecting £50 million into our First Home Fund, which provides first time buyers with up to £25,000 to buy a property. This will help an estimated 2000 first time purchases.
“To mitigate the immediate adverse impact on the housing market in Scotland as a result of the Chancellor’s announcement, we are now working at pace on the necessary legislation and to ensure Revenue Scotland is ready to collect and manage the tax.”
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