Only six get green stamp duty

Just six households in the whole of Britain have gained from a new stamp duty rebate, it has been revealed.

The scheme, which would allow houses to be charged no stamp duty if they could be shown to be zero-carbon, was launched in last year's budget.

Shadow financial secretary to the Treasury Justine Greening labelled the scheme "an eco-tax con" after the government revealed the figure of beneficiaries.

Ms Greening noted that the rules of the scheme mean that flats and maisonettes are automatically excluded, while the requirement to draw energy from local green sources means even homes in most eco-towns would be excluded, the Guardian reports.

Those self building their own homes can avoid stamp duty provided the cost of the land is less than the one per cent threshold level of £125,000.

The next chance for any new government incentives to help self build or measures to alter stamp duty thresholds will be March 12th, when chancellor Alistair Darling reveals his first budget.


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