Stamp duty is now up to nine times higher than it was before the tax relief holiday was introduced due to the surge in prices sparked by the measure, says GetAgent.

In areas where housing is relatively cheaper the 17% surge in English house prices – between June 2020 and December 2021 when the holiday was in operation – led to dramatic jumps in stamp duty, data from the estate agent comparison site shows.

The report says in Preston the average cost of stamp duty was just £33 prior to the start of the holiday and now sits at £322, “an 881% increase in cost as a result of the scheme”.

It points out large stamp duty spikes in other areas where housing is relatively cheaper such as Darlington, where the tax jumped by 776%, Barnsley, 674%, South Tyneside, 651% and Gateshead, 578%.

Across the English housing market, the average price of a home currently sits at £293,339, with £4,667 of stamp duty payable on the purchase, an increase of 84% prior to the tax relief holiday.

In early June 2020, just before the holiday was introduced, the average house price in England was £250,739, with the average cost of stamp duty pegged at £2,537.

The largest stamp duty bills, as opposed to percentage increases, have come in London where house prices are highest.

The report says homebuyers in Kensington & Chelsea face the largest stamp duty bills, which have lifted by £7,223, followed by Islington £6,168, and the City of Westminster £5,980.

But it added that Elmbridge, which saw bills rise by £5,894, South Hams, £5,867, Cotswold, £4,694, North Devon, £4,324 and South Oxfordshire, £4,191, also racked up among some of the largest stamp duty fees across the country.

GetAgent founder and chief executive Colby Short says: “We now have a comprehensive look at just how house prices were impacted by the stamp duty holiday and while many certainly benefited from the scheme, it’s fair to say that today’s buyers are also considerably worse off as a result.

“The removal of stamp duty tax led to an overwhelming surge in buyer demand and as a result, both the price of a property and the tax payable on its purchase have climbed considerably.

“For the government, this will be touted as an economic success story during an otherwise uncertain time. However, it’s fair to say that those struggling with the even higher cost of homeownership in today’s market are unlikely to share that sentiment.”