Barclays, one of Britain’s largest mortgage lenders, has called on the government to introduce tax breaks and financial incentives for downsizers to encourage them to move into smaller homes, potentially freeing up 3.8 million properties for families.
The bank is proposing to allow downsizers to offset moving costs against their stamp duty when purchasing a new home.
In a report published on Thursday, Barclays highlighted that reducing the financial burden of relocation could encourage “under-occupied locations” to move, easing the housing crisis. In addition to financial incentives, the bank called for measures to simplify the moving process and build more senior housing.
Barclays estimates that this could significantly increase liquidity in the housing market, benefiting growing families who need larger homes. “A stronger, more holistic strategy is needed to tackle the immense problems facing the housing market,” said Mark Arnold, head of mortgages and savings at Barclays.
The call for support for downsizers follows a Savills report showing that 44% of homeowners are over 60 years old, while downsizers make up less than 10% of market activity. Lucian Cook, director of residential research at Savills, said reducing stamp duty on downsizers could encourage more people to move, making better use of existing housing stock.
However, critics argue that such tax breaks would disproportionately benefit wealthier homeowners, rather than first-time buyers or struggling families. Mortgage broker Martin Stewart questioned the fairness of the plan, asking: “Why should we incentivize the generation that has been the biggest beneficiary of house price inflation in recent generations?”
Aneisha Beveridge, head of research at Hamptons, echoed these concerns and suggested that subsidies might be better focused elsewhere, especially as downsizing companies are often mortgage-free and have benefited most from house price growth in recent decades.