A survey of 2,203 UK adults has revealed significant regional differences in attitudes towards replacing council tax and stamp duty with an annual property tax based on home values.
The research, commissioned by estate agency Cavendish, found support was strongest in northern England and Wales, while opposition was highest in areas with the most expensive housing. Support reached 37% in the North East and 35% in the North West, compared with 28% in London and 23% in the South East.
Wales recorded relatively high support at 33%. The North West and Wales showed the highest proportion of respondents who strongly supported the idea at 16%, compared with just 7% in both London and the South East.
Regional opposition patterns
Opposition was strongest in London and the South East, where 16% of respondents strongly opposed the proposal, compared with 10% in the North West. The survey asked about a proposal similar to one reportedly being explored by Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
The findings come as UK house price growth has slowed, with regional disparities continuing to affect housing affordability across the country. The pattern of support and opposition appears to mirror regional house price variations, with higher-value markets showing greater resistance to the proposed changes.
Undecided voters dominate
The research found that 37% of respondents nationally said they did not know whether they supported or opposed replacing the existing system with an annual property tax. Simon Leadbetter, founder of The Voice of the Agent and marketing adviser to Cavendish, said the regional differences were striking and mirrored regional house prices.
David Adams, managing director of Cavendish, noted that the large proportion of undecided respondents suggested the debate over property tax reform was still at an early stage. “What is most significant is that more than a third of people still don’t know what they think,” he said. “That suggests the debate is still in its infancy, and many homeowners will be urgently seeking more information so they can work out the potential financial costs to them.”
The proposal would affect homeowners across the UK differently depending on property values and transaction frequency. Current housing affordability concerns and regional price disparities suggest the financial impact would vary significantly by location, potentially explaining the divergent regional attitudes captured in the survey.
