Several news articles have been published regarding the Treasury exploring ways to generate £2bn from property earnings ahead of the autumn Budget.

The Times first reported that Rachel Reeves is contemplating imposing an 8% National Insurance tax on rental income as part of efforts to address a £50bn budget deficit.

Will this be another drive to push landlords out of the market?   Although this might increase supply temporarily, making it easier for first-time buyers to get on the property ladder, rents will become more expensive for tenants.

This proposal continues to be tenant-bashing under the guise of landlord-bashing, as it assumes rents will rise again.  Maybe the chancellor could take a break from coming up with cunning ways to take money from people and think more about how to save money and improve the economy instead.

Analysis by Hamptons suggests a higher-rate taxpayer with a typical rental income would turn an annual profit of just £295 if Labour went ahead with its plans.  This is a step too far when we consider return on investment in comparison to other safer options like a bank savings account!