By Jacob Freedland

A woman desperate to get on the housing ladder has accused the government of not doing enough to help first time buyers in today's budget.

Alissa Barton, 32, said the lack of measures was "disappointing".

The property conveyancer from Stockport is saving up to buy a house with her boyfriend, Jamie Dewhurst, 28, who works in retail.

But she said she is worried stamp duty will make it harder for her to get on the housing ladder. Instead of relief from stamp duty, the government promised to abolish stamp duty relief in today's budget.

It was introduced to those buying more than one house in a single transaction, and has been taken away.

Currently buyers pay no stamp duty on purchases under £250k - and 5% on anything over that.

But Alissa says nearly all the houses in the area she is looking - in south Manchester - cost more than £250k.

Alissa Barton, 32 (Image via SWNS)

She hoped she might get more help in the budget today, and that the 0% banding might be raised to a "realistic" level for people trying to get onto the property ladder.

She said: " It's a vicious cycle. You can save 5% for a mortgage but then you have to pay additional for stamp duty.

"It's made really, really difficult to get on the ladder. It's more and more unachievable to afford a deposit.

"By the time you have saved enough to get a deposit, [the price of the property has] gone up".

Alissa's boyfriend, Jamie, would have been eligible for a cash bonus from the government as part of their "Help to Buy" scheme - where the government tops up a buyer's total savings by 25%.

But this does not apply to homes worth over £250k - meaning Alissa and Jamie are unlikely to get the bonus.

Jeremy Hunt MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced the budget today (Wednesday 6 March) (Image - SWNS)

"It's an extra £1,200 we need to find, which is hard especially given the cost of living crisis," she said.

"The price of everything has gone up, meaning what's going into the savings is less. Bills are high, interest rates are higher, rent is higher, petrol is higher. It's hard for young people to reach their goals."

As she saves up for a house, Alissa is renting with her 24-year-old cousin Laura Norbury.

Last month, a video of a mushroom infestation at their house went viral on the pair's TikTok page, @_lissandlara.

"We had a comment on our TikTok telling us to save up for a mortgage and to stop renting, saying that younger people waste money getting drunk every weekend," she said.

"But that's isn't the case for everyone, certainly not me. We are just living. It's impossible to save if you are just renting."

Lara said she's also hoping to buy somewhere in the "next couple of years" but is having to hold off because of the cost of living.

She said: "There is no help for first-time buyers to get on the property ladder".

The emergency services worker said her colleagues are opting out of pension plans because their monthly paychecks won't cover their costs.

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