Stamp duty receipts dropped by 8.5% in 2018 compared to the previous year. The take was still over £8billion but down £802million on the year before. There was also a large drop seen in receipts from the 3% additional homes surcharge. Some of the drop has been put down to a sluggish London housing market. Clearly with far higher house prices the capital also has far higher stamp duty receipts. However much may be deliberate and by the governments own making. The extra relief for first time buyers coupled with a rise in people buying there first home last year has without doubt had an effect.