Santander UK comments on the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) report, calling for Stamp Duty reform

09 June 2026

HCLG have today issued a report calling for a Government consultation into stamp duty to commence before the end of 2026. Commenting on the report, David Morris, Head of Homes at Santander UK said:

“Stamp duty has been stifling the housing market for years – preventing older homeowners from downsizing and shutting younger buyers out of the homes they need.

“Our 2025 report ‘Fixing the Broken Chain’ revealed that the housing market is failing today's buyers and sellers, with one in three transactions collapsing, costing the UK economy £1.5 billion every year. While work is underway to make homebuying and selling faster and bring more certainty for those in chains – the costs of Stamp Duty remains one of the clearest barriers to progress.

“Today’s report from the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee is a positive step. It’s an opportunity to move the conversation along from building more homes to reviewing how we can use the stock we already have correctly, freeing up unused bedrooms in the UK, unlocking mobility and giving more people a fair shot at homeownership.”