This week’s top news headlines: Landlords hit by 4% income tax rise from 2027 and Chancellor ignores calls for stamp duty reform
Explore these and other key industry updates below:
Autumn Budget 2026: Landlords hit by 4% income tax rise from 2027
Landlords in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will face an additional 2 percentage point increase in income tax on rental profits from April 2027, raising the basic, top and additional rates to 24%, 44% and 49% respectively. The changes are expected to raise £455 million by 2031-32, and have sparked warnings from industry figures that rising costs could discourage investment, prompt more landlords to sell and reduce the supply of rented housing.
Autumn Budget 2026: Chancellor ignores calls for stamp duty reform
Chancellor John Healey left stamp duty unchanged in the Autumn Budget, disappointing industry figures who have called for reform to encourage house moves and boost housing market activity.
Industry representatives claim the tax discourages transactions and prevents homeowners from freeing up larger homes, while the Conservatives have pledged to scrap stamp duty if elected.
Autumn Budget 2026: Details of your first home revealed
The government has confirmed that first-time buyers can sign up to the £4.7bn ‘Your First Home’ scheme from December, submit full applications from February and start buying homes from April.
The scheme will offer interest-free loans at 20% for five years, a minimum 2.5% deposit, a maximum income of £110,000 outside London and £140,000 within capital, and local property price caps.
It aims to help about 70,000 families get on the real estate ladder and support the delivery of 20,000 new homes.
Fall Budget 2026: Haley backs FTBs with new ISA plan
The government has confirmed plans to launch a new first-time buyer ISA in April 2029, retaining the lifetime ISA contribution limit of £4,000 and a 25% government bonus, with no higher age restrictions.
From 29 October 2026, existing Lifetime ISA holders who buy properties above the £450,000 price cap will face a reduced withdrawal fee of 20%, although campaigners say the cap should be increased to reflect rising property prices, especially in London.
The average new mortgage rate rises to 5.88% ahead of the Budget, Moneyfacts data shows
The average interest rate on new UK mortgages rose to 5.88% on October 27, according to Moneyfacts, following rate changes from three lenders.
Average two-year fixed interest rates rose to 5.97% and five-year interest rates remained at 5.99%, while ten-year interest rates held steady at 6.31% and two-year variable interest rates remained at 4.66%.
The government sets rules for registering rental properties
Landlords in England will be required to register their rental properties under a new scheme, with registrations opening in the West Midlands on December 15 before rolling out to other areas throughout 2027.
The annual fee will be £65 per property, with landlords required to provide property details, safety certificates and tenancy information within 28 days, or risk having their registration deactivated.
Landlord and property registration numbers will also eventually need to appear in rental advertisements.
Your first home ‘will get half the benefit of Help to Buy’
Zoopla has warned that the Your First Home scheme could only have half the impact of Help to Buy because of its income and regional property price limits, although higher limits in London mean nearly three-quarters of new homes there could qualify.
Industry figures say the scheme could support first-time buyers and boost London’s new build market, but concerns remain that restricting it to new homes will limit its wider impact and leave buyers exposed to negative equity and higher repayment costs.
Fall Budget 2026: Taxes on banks increased, but less than expected
The Chancellor has confirmed a temporary 3 percentage point increase in bank surcharges, on top of the current corporation tax rate of 25%, for 15 months from January to help fund support for household energy bills.
While the short-term measure may limit the impact on lenders, industry figures warn that a continued increase in bank taxes could impact UK competitiveness and prompt international banks to direct investment elsewhere.
The income ceiling for joint ownership will rise after being frozen for 10 years
The government will increase the income cap for shared ownership schemes from the new year, raising the cap from £80,000 to £90,000 outside London and from £90,000 to £110,000 within the capital.
The changes follow calls for a review after the thresholds have remained unchanged since 2016, with industry figures welcoming the move but urging regular reviews to ensure eligibility reflects rising wages and house prices.
House price decline extends to a third of homes: Zoopla HPI
More than a third of UK homes are now in postcode areas where prices are falling, up from 12% a year ago, although average house prices rose 0.8% to £273,100.
The declines are concentrated in London and the South East, while more affordable regions such as the North West and Scotland are still seeing growth, highlighting how rising mortgage costs and increasing housing supply are creating an increasingly localized market.
