Angela Rayner Settles £40,000 Stamp Duty Tax Bill Linked To Hove Property

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Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner says she has resolved her tax affairs with HMRC after settling £40,000 in unpaid stamp duty linked to a property in Hove.

The MP for Ashton-under-Lyne stepped down as Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary in September 2025 after admitting she had underpaid stamp duty on her £800,000 Hove flat.

The issue centred on complex arrangements involving a trust for her disabled son, which meant the East Sussex property should have been treated as a second home, attracting a higher rate of stamp duty.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Rayner said she had been "exonerated" of accusations she had deliberately avoided tax.

She added:

"I set out to pay the correct amount of tax. I took reasonable care and acted in good faith, based on the expert advice I received, and HMRC has accepted this."

Rayner also said:

"I wanted to ensure that I paid every penny that I owed, and have done so."

HMRC has now closed its investigation and no penalty charge has been issued.