THE threshold for stamp duty payments was doubled for first-time buyers from £125,000 to £250,000 in yesterday's Budget.

The Government believes this will help people struggling to get on the property ladder, stimulating demand for starter homes.

The change met with a mixed reception from North Staffordshire estate agents.

Chris Stops, below, managing director at Newcastle business Heywoods, welcomed the threshold increase, although he said the details of how a first-time buyer will be defined had yet to be made clear.

He said: "It's made certain that 90 per cent of first-time buyers are going to be able to avoid the payments so it's another expense they don't have to find. That has to be good for the housing market.

"I think it's good news, but it would have been nice to have seen something that would encourage the banks and building societies to lend more readily to first-time buyers who are in a good financial position."

But Clive Austerberry, of Longton agent Austerberry, believes the increase will have little effect in North Staffordshire because incomes are too low for many people to consider buying their own homes.

Mr Austerberry said: "The issue for first-time buyers in this area is wage levels and employment prospects, rather than stamp duty.

"For a fortunate few it will be a pleasant bonus, but most are looking at rented accommodation or shared equity, which is essentially the same thing."