The Council for Licensed Conveyancers has launched Project 2,000 Lawyers, aiming to increase the number of licensed conveyancers by 2,000 by 2030 in response to ongoing demand and government reform plans. The initiative is framed as part of a wider effort to expand skills, improve capacity in the conveyancing sector, and reduce transaction delays and fall-throughs.
The Autumn Budget sets out new support for first-time buyers, including a replacement First Time Buyer ISA and a new Your First Home Scheme due to open for applications in February 2027. The Chancellor also confirmed additional funding for social and affordable housing, a pause on major building regulation changes except for critical safety rules, and no changes to stamp duty.
Industry figures have welcomed the government’s focus on first-time buyers but criticised the Autumn Budget for not doing enough on Stamp Duty Land Tax and wider homebuying reform. The new Your First Home scheme, a government-backed equity loan for new-build homes, has prompted both support and concern, particularly around transaction complexity, lender requirements and the need for clearer processes.
The article argues that proposed upfront information reforms in conveyancing will shift legal and administrative work earlier in the transaction process, making client onboarding more important. It highlights that better early information can reduce delays and fall-throughs, but also notes the operational and commercial pressures this may place on firms.
The housing minister has announced the first increase in shared ownership income eligibility caps since 2016, raising thresholds to £90,000 outside London and £110,000 in London. The government says the change is intended to keep the tenure accessible while it pursues wider reforms to improve affordability, transparency, staircasing, resales and customer experience across the shared ownership lifecycle.
The article reports a mixed industry response to the Autumn Budget, with support for the Your First Home scheme and the First-Time Buyer ISA, but criticism that the measures do not address wider housing supply, planning and transaction-cost pressures. Commentators also highlighted the absence of stamp duty reform and warned that higher taxes on property income could increase landlord sales and add complexity to conveyancing work.
The article argues that home buying and selling reform should focus on the full transaction journey, not just the mortgage or deposit stage. It highlights the potential of smarter data sharing, more connected completion processes and reduced duplication to make transactions faster and more certain for buyers, lenders and conveyancers.
The article reports on property and legal sector expectations ahead of the Autumn Budget, with calls for stamp duty reform, tax stability and clearer support for first-time buyers. Commentators also want progress on home buying and selling reforms, while warning that higher property taxes or uncertainty could weaken market confidence and transaction volumes.
The article previews government budget measures aimed at reducing administrative burdens, including a proposed £116 million annual saving from streamlining the home-buying and selling process. It also outlines expected detail on the Your First Home scheme, a replacement for Help to Buy, with possible changes to income thresholds and property price caps.
The article reviews recent property market and conveyancing data, noting a shift from seller-favourable conditions to a more buyer-favourable market. It reports continued declines in new conveyancing instructions and completions, while exchange and completion timelines are lengthening, suggesting process inefficiencies rather than volume alone are driving delays.
SAM Conveyancing argues that the previous Help to Buy scheme inflated new-build prices and supported volume housebuilders more than it improved overall housing supply. Ahead of the expected launch of ‘Your First Home’, it is urging the government to allow the scheme to be used on existing homes as well as new-builds, citing price premiums, exchange constraints and market stagnation.
