The Autumn Statement was released today by George Osborne. It is too early to understand the potential full impact of the changes but for investors it in likely that the changes in stamp duty will lead to a desire to purchase prior to April 2016 and there is a fear that demand and therefore prices will be affected thereafter. Many agents have commented that the previous changes in stamp duty have had a dramatic effect of the upper end of the property market

Help To Buy

• New ISA product will come into effect next month
• A new interest-free loan to supplement deposits for first-time London buyers who raise the first 5%.

Landlords and second-homes

From April 2016, an additional 3% will be added on to the Stamp Duty bill for buy-to-let or second-home purchases

New homes

An extra 400,000 homes will be built by 2020

Infrastructure boost

London will get an additional £11 billion budget to be spent on infrastructure including rail, Tube, roads and cycle routes, an enhanced superfast broadband network and extra support for museums and the arts.

Capital Gains Tax

CGT bills must be settled within 30 days rather than 21 months with effect from 2019