Budget Resolution No. 36: Stamp duty land tax (additional dwellings: purchases on or after 1 April 2025)
373Ayes
110Noes
Carried · majority 263 · Government won163 did not vote
646 Members · Aye 373 · No 110 · DNV 163 · grey dots in centre are abstentions
Analysis
Commons
Commons
Parliament voted on 6 November 2024 to approve Budget Resolution No. 36, raising the stamp duty land tax surcharge on purchases of additional dwellings from 3% to 5%, effective from 1 April 2025. The resolution passed by 373 votes to 110. Stamp duty land tax is the tax paid when buying property in England and Northern Ireland; the surcharge is an additional percentage applied on top of standard rates when a buyer already owns at least one property. The change makes it more expensive for landlords, buy-to-let investors, and second-home buyers to acquire additional properties. A buyer purchasing a second home or rental property worth, say, 300,000 pounds will pay an extra 2% of the purchase price compared to the previous regime. The government's stated aim is to give owner-occupiers a price advantage over investors competing for the same properties, particularly at the lower end of the market where first-time buyers face the most competition. The vote divided almost entirely along party lines. Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs voted unanimously in favour, as did the four Green MPs and two Your Party representatives. All 98 Conservative MPs who voted opposed the measure, joined by four Reform UK MPs, three Democratic Unionist Party MPs, and one Restore Britain MP. A handful of independents split both ways. There were no significant cross-party rebellions on either side.
Voting Aye meant
Support increasing the stamp duty surcharge on additional property purchases to reduce investor demand and prioritise owner-occupiers in the housing market.
Voting No meant
Oppose the higher surcharge on additional dwellings, arguing it discourages investment in rental housing and could reduce supply in the private rented sector.
Each row is one party. The stacked bar gives the within-party split of Aye / No / Absent; the columns on the right give the raw counts. The whip column shows the published party position — “Free vote” means the whip was formally removed for this division.
Party
Whip
Aye / No / Abs
Aye
No
Abs
Labour Party
Whipped Aye
328
0
33
Conservative and Unionist Party
Whipped No
0
98
18
Liberal Democrats
—
0
0
71
Labour and Co-operative Party
Whipped Aye
35
0
7
Independent
—
5
3
6
Scottish National Party
—
0
0
9
Reform UK
Whipped No
0
4
3
Sinn Féin
—
0
0
7
Democratic Unionist Party
Whipped No
0
3
2
Green Party of England and Wales
Whipped Aye
4
0
0
Plaid Cymru
—
0
0
4
Social Democratic and Labour Party
—
1
0
1
Your Party
—
2
0
0
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
—
0
0
1
Restore Britain
—
0
1
0
Speaker
—
0
0
1
Traditional Unionist Voice
—
0
1
0
Ulster Unionist Party
—
0
1
0
Source · Hansard · UK Parliament Votes API · whip status from announced positions; “free vote” indicates the whip was formally removed
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Praises Bill's four key themes: Defence Housing Service, service justice reform, reservist renewal; defends extended recall age and mobilisation threshold changes as necessary for strategic reserve capacity.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (357 words) →
Welcomes armed forces covenant extension and accountability mechanisms; does not support New Clause 4 today to allow Government time to deliver manifesto pledges; calls for clearer covenant guidance and record-keeping of military families in public services.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,506 words) →
Raises concerns that NI reservists in SMEs face retention challenges from increased recall and mobilisation requirements; requests covenant amendment to explicitly include NI local councils.DUP · Voted no · Read full speech (241 words) →
Speaks in support of the Bill during Armed Forces Week; notes Liberal Democrat new clauses and amendments on related issues.Liberal Democrat · Voted no_vote_recorded · Read full speech (2,429 words) →
Sources
Division dataUK Parliament Votes API
DebateHansard · Commons
Stance analysisAI analysis · Claude 4.x
LicenceOpen Parliament Licence v3.0