Kirstie Allsopp backs campaign to scrap stamp duty for first-time buyers » Bill payments » 24dash.com

TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp has backed a Tory campaign to scrap stamp duty for first-time buyers.

The property expert came to Westminster today with Shadow Housing Minister Grant Shapps to highlight growing problems in the property market.

She said: "People aren't able to continue with their lives, their family lives, what really matters to them because they aren't able to buy and sell houses."

The Conservatives are calling on the Government to scrap stamp duty for all first-time buyers on properties below £250,000.

Ms Allsopp added: "The fact that people aren't moving house means that they are not buying things that they need for their house.

"It's not simply something that can be put aside...It's at the very centre of the economy."

She accused the Government of having "milked" the housing market with charges for Home Information Packs and "ever-increasing taxes".

The presenter said the housing market has slowed so much that the majority of properties she views while filming for Channel 4 are on sale because the owner has died.

Mr Shapps said: "We have to say, 'first time buyers need special help', and that special help is that we scrap stamp duty entirely."

He added: "I worry that what Gordon Brown will do is implement something incredibly complicated which is over-engineered and fails to help the people we really want to help."

A Treasury spokesman said: "As a result of changes made by the Government, half of all first-time homebuyers and a third of all homebuyers will pay no Stamp Duty Land Tax this year.

"Threshold increases also mean that five out of six homebuyers pay stamp duty of 1% or less.

"In the 2005 Budget the Government doubled the threshold for paying stamp duty to £120,000, taking 430,000 transactions out of stamp duty entirely. Last year, the Chancellor increased this to £125,000, exempting another 40,000 homebuyers each year.

"Stamp duty raises several billions of pounds each year to help pay for the essential services the Government provides and supports such as schools and hospitals."

A Government spokesman said Home Information Packs have helped homeowners.

He said: "Home Information Packs are already bringing benefits to consumers. Property search costs are falling and new information on energy efficiency can help cut carbon emissions and enable prospective purchasers to get a better idea of the likely costs of energy bills.

"The only new cost in a HIP is the EPC which will help families to reduce fuel bills by hundreds of pounds and cut carbon emissions. Consumers already pay for the rest of the pack under the existing system."