Residential transactions where Stamp Duty was paid edged downwards in the third quarter of this year compared with the same period in 2018.

According to HMRC, there were 278,300 residential transactions, an increase of 37,600 on the previous quarter.

Of the 278,300, 186,500 were liable for the tax – 1,500 fewer than in the same period in 2018.

Receipts from Stamp Duty Land Tax rose to £3,150m – 20% higher than in the second quarter.

Almost all the transactions in the third quarter which were liable for Stamp Duty were residential.

The proportion was 91%, the highest percentage since the first quarter of 2016.

Altogether, first-time buyer relief in the third quarter was claimed on 61,200 transactions, making a total of 401,900 claims since the relief was introduced in November 2017.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/843012/Quarterly_SDLT_2019Q3_Main.pdf.pdf