Overview

• City AM reports the staggered-payment proposal is under active discussion, with technical talks with OBR analysts due to begin in two weeks.
• The reform under consideration would replace the upfront lump sum with installments, with a Tony Blair Institute model outlining a government loan that could be written off after 20 years.
• A Treasury spokesperson declined to comment on the reports, noting that tax decisions are announced only at fiscal events.
• Industry voices including Rightmove and Zoopla back spreading costs, citing reduced barriers to moving and the heavy burden in southern England where 60% of stamp duty is paid.
• The exploration comes as Chancellor Rachel Reeves confronts a reported fiscal gap of at least £25bn and reviews broader options such as proportional property levies and potential local tax replacements for council tax.