Transaction costs in Scotland are higher – the stamp duty tax-free threshold is £145,000, or £170,000 for first-time buyers, compared to £250,000 in England. That means that somebody buying a £500,000 property that is not their first home north of the border would fork out £23,350 in stamp duty, compared to £18,000 in Wales and £12,500 in England.
“That was eye-opening,” says Brookes. “But on the plus side, you don’t really get gazumped in Scotland. It’s ridiculous that it is so easy to pull out of a property deal at the last minute in England.”
Gazumping is the practice of acquiring a property that another buyer has already had an offer accepted on by outbidding them. While it is not outlawed in Scotland, it is much rarer, as properties are generally pulled from the market after offers are accepted.
‘We can now afford to send our kids to private school’
On top of being able to pay off their mortgage, Cameron has also been able to upgrade their children’s education with the move. Average annual fees for private day schools in Scotland were £4,672 in 2023, 14pc lower than the national average and 30pc lower than in London, according to the Independent Schools Council.
“We would never have been able to afford to send our children to a private school [in Ware]. The fees were laughably high. But here we can,” she says. “My daughter plays netball and hockey – now that she does it in school, we don’t have to pay massive club fees.
“The free university tuition will certainly be handy in the future for our kids. And we have great universities on our doorstep, so there doesn’t need to be a trade-off in the quality of education.”
‘There are huge perks in Scotland’
Lily Rice, 37, moved to South Lanarkshire from Bristol with her husband Steve in 2021 – they love their new home, and believe it suits their two children better.
They found that there are huge perks in Scotland.
“Children and young adults can travel for free on buses until they’re 22, which is great. They also get free school meals until the upper end of primary school. Return train journeys only cost a pound to go anywhere in Scotland for children travelling with an adult,” she says.
“If you’re a family or person that likes to do outdoor activities, it’s much more accessible, and you save money that way. We bought a Historic Environment Scotland membership [similar to the National Trust], which was only £100 for the year, and you can go to any of the venues. Kids’ clubs are also slightly cheaper up here, which is great.”
Cameron adds: “London and the surrounding area was getting busier and busier. While that brings benefits, our town was getting really full. We wanted to take a step back and not feel that constant go-go-go, that pressure – for the kids’ sake too.”