Will the Minister confirm why the new land transaction tax threshold rate has not grown with house prices in Wales, given that the new threshold rate is now £15,000 below average house prices, compared with being £24,000 above average house prices when it was first implemented?
I had been considering land transactions tax (LTT) rates and bands in the context of house price growth as part of preparations for the draft Budget. However, following the UK Government making changes to stamp duty land tax rates in England and Northern Ireland, I brought forward making changes to prevent any uncertainty for our taxpayers and our housing market.
On 27 September, in a statement to the Senedd, I announced an increase to the zero-rate threshold for the main residential rates from 10 October. The threshold will be raised from £180,000 to £225,000, an increase of £45,000. According to the official house price data from the ONS, house price growth between 2018-19 and 2021-22 was £38,000. The increase in the threshold therefore exceeds house price growth between 2018-19 and 2021-22.