Autumn Budget 2024: Stamp duty for second homes upped to support first-time buyers October 30, 2024 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has increased the amount of tax Brits will pay when buying their second home to provide support for first-time buyers and those moving home. Second-time buyers previously paid three per cent stamp duty on homes worth up to £250,000. From tomorrow, they will pay five per cent tax. The increase will also [...]
Autumn Budget 2024: Taxes rocket by £40bn as employers told to pay more October 30, 2024 Rachel Reeves has hiked employers’ national insurance contributions (NICs) by 1.2 per cent, as she delivered the Labour government’s first Autumn Budget in office, which saw taxes rise by a record £40bn and government borrowing increase. The Chancellor unveiled the rise – which is set to see the levy hit 15 per cent for firms [...]
Bond traders brace for Budget borrowing bonanza October 30, 2024 City investors and bond traders are bracing for the fallout of Labour’s first Budget in 14 years tomorrow as the new government looks set to hike taxes and ramp up borrowing. Ahead of the Budget, the interest rate on government debt has crept up while investors and entrepreneurs have warned of the damaging impacts of [...]
What will happen to wealth taxes? October 30, 2024 The Chancellor is considering a range of tax hikes on wealth, but questions remain over how much revenue she can raise, says Nick Pheasey The taxation of an individual’s wealth can be an emotive subject. Broadly, the UK imposes tax on wealth on two occasions. First, as it is generated, by income tax or capital gains [...]
Housing market continues to strengthen as mortgage rates fall October 29, 2024 New figures from the Bank of England showed that 65,600 new mortgages were approved in September, the highest figure since August 2022.
Foxtons acquires commuter town estate agents in expansion drive October 29, 2024 Estate agents Foxtons has acquired two smaller companies in commuter towns as it looks to expand its presence in the lettings market. Haslams, in Reading, and Imagine, in Watford, will be bought by Foxtons for £7.6m and £5m respectively. The acquisitions will increase Foxtons’ footprint to 64 branches, as well as delivering an extra 2,900 [...]
First-time buyers could see huge tax hit under rumored Budget change October 28, 2024 First-time buyers could see huge tax hit under changes rumored to be included in the Autumn budget. It has been rumoured that Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves will rule out any changes to stamp duty land tax in the Budget. Stamp duty land tax currently applies to homes costing over £250,000, but in March [...]
Why businesses are nervous ahead of the Budget October 28, 2024 Businesses are wary as Chancellor Rachel Reeves puts the final touches to her first Budget.
Avison Young loses over £100m as it cuts more than 200 jobs October 28, 2024 The UK arm of global commercial real estate services firm Avison Young shed over 200 jobs as its pre-tax loss almost doubled to more than £100m during 2023, it has been revealed. The Birmingham-headquartered division has reported a pre-tax loss of £101.8m for 2023, having previously posted a loss of £55.6m in 2022. Newly-filed accounts [...]
Chancellor to cut back Right to Buy discounts in Budget October 26, 2024 The Chancellor will cut back Right to Buy discounts as part of next week’s Budget to boost council housing supply. Rachel Reeves will announce plans to consult on a new five-year social housing rent settlement and to reduce Right to Buy, which allows tenants renting local authority-owned homes to buy them at a discounted rate, [...]