Home buyers in St Albans district will pay £1,483 less in Stamp Duty on the purchase of an average house as a result of the Stamp Duty reforms announced in the Autumn Statement.  

People buying homes worth less than £935,000 will now pay less Stamp Duty than they did before, while those buying the most expensive properties will pay more.

For the average buyer in St Albans district the tax has fallen from £12,766 to £11,293. It means families buying a home costing £425,868, the current average house price in St Albans, will save £1,483.

St Albans MP Anne Main has claimed the Chancellor’s stamp duty reforms are a "win for the majority of St Albans residents". 

In his Autumn Statement, George Osborne announced major changes to the controversial land tax after lobbying from the St Albans MP. 

Anne said: "These stamp duty reforms are long overdue. I have worked and argued for change at every level. I’m pleased the Chancellor has now been persuaded to tackle the unfairness of the current system."

Anne led the campaign for stamp duty reform in Parliament after residents complained about the unfairness of the tax system, and the exorbitant rates of tax paid by low-to-middle-income earners in St Albans. 

Under new proposals, those hoping to buy a detached four bed house in St Albans will save nearly £2,500, those buing a semi-detached three bed will save nearly £5,000 and those buying flats will save £4,500.

Anne added: "Young people trying to get on the housing ladder have been hit by the unfair slab system for too long. These are real savings for hard-pressed home buyers. 

"These changes will see people in St Albans now pay £3,553 stamp duty on a two-bedroom flat - a saving of £4,500; and typically they will save £5,000 on a three bedroomed semi-detached home."

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candate Sandy Walkington said: "This is a long-standing Liberal Democrat policy which was in our 2010 and previous manifestos," said Sandy Walkington, Liberal Democrat candidate for St Albans.  

"We have now been able to deliver this policy in government.

"The previous "slab" system of levying stamp duty was desperately unfair," Sandy said.  "This reform helps people who need it most.  It’s fair, it’s sensible, it fits in with the other Liberal Democrat tax reforms designed to reduce taxes for low and medium earners.  Moving house is expensive enough, so this will be a huge benefit to ordinary families."