A new £2m-plus home surcharge is billed as progressive, but its impact falls mainly on London and the South East, where many owners now face an annual bill from 2028. Critics warn it punishes long-term residents, cools the prime market and deepens regional divides, even as households weigh downsizing. Many fear a new cliff edge at £2m too.

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With plans announced to raise the council tax surcharge on higher-value homes, this snapshot looks at how many £2m-plus properties have actually sold across the UK this year. The data shows a highly concentrated market, dominated by London, and reveals just how small this sector is nationally despite the noise around a “mansion tax.”

This map highlights the average size of homes sold across the UK since 2020, measured in square feet from completed sales. What stands out is how little the averages vary between regions, despite very different housing types. Northern Ireland is the clear exception, with noticeably larger homes on average.