With the Autumn Budget just a day away, speculation is mounting that Chancellor Rachel Reeves may introduce significant changes to property taxation to help close the national fiscal gap.
Here in the Cotswolds, the uncertainty is already cooling the market. Buyers are pausing, sellers are hesitating, and November saw a 1.8% drop in asking prices — the steepest fall for this time of year since 2012.
For a region built on character homes, rural villages, and higher-than-average property values, potential tax reforms could have a real local impact.
POSSIBLE CHANGES ON THE HORIZON
Rumoured proposals include:
• A complete overhaul of Stamp Duty and Council Tax, replaced with new land-based taxes.
• Shifting Stamp Duty from the buyer to the seller, which could reshape negotiations across the Cotswolds market.
• The option to spread Stamp Duty payments over time.
• A new annual levy on higher-value homes — a key concern in our region, where many properties sit above £500,000.
From Cirencester to Tetbury, Bourton to Burford, these changes could influence affordability, investment decisions, second-home ownership, and the pace of the market going into 2025.
We’ll be watching closely tomorrow — and we’ll break down exactly what the Budget means for Cotswold homeowners, landlords, and buyers.
