3.24 The Growth Plan announces reforms to the Universal Credit (UC) conditionality to support claimants on UC to secure more or better paid work. The government will raise the Administrative Earnings Threshold to bring more claimants who are in work and on low earnings into a more intensive conditionality regime and provide more work coach support. The government will also strengthen the sanctions regime to set clear work expectations of claimants and provide more support to those over 50. These changes will give claimants the best possible chance to be financially independent of UC. 3.25 Older workers form a vital part of the UK labour force, bringing a wealth of skills and experience that can help businesses succeed. The government will continue to consider further options to encourage people to stay in the labour market for longer, to support growth and people seeking to build up savings for their retirement. 3.26 The UK has some of the highest quality childcare provision in the world, but it is also one of the biggest costs facing working families today and a barrier for people remaining in the labour market. The government will bring forward reforms to improve access to affordable, flexible childcare. 3.27 Migration, in particular skilled and high-skilled migration, plays an important role in economic growth, productivity, and innovation. The government has reshaped immigration policy to shift the balance of people coming to the UK to those with skills the UK needs. The government is committed to ensuring the immigration system works for business and encourages highly skilled people and high growth businesses to choose to locate and invest in the UK. This has included the introduction of Global Talent, High Potential Individual, Scale- up Worker and Global Business Mobility visa routes. The government will set out a plan in the coming weeks to ensure the immigration system supports growth whilst maintaining control. 3.28 The government will also introduce legislation that will ensure Minimum Service Levels can be put in place for transport services so that industrial action doesn’t make it impossible to get to and from work, and to make it easier to settle industrial disputes by ensuring meaningful employer pay offers are put to employees. Getting the housing market moving 3.29 The government is reducing the tax burden on people buying a home. From 23 September 2022, the government will increase the threshold above which Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) must be paid on the purchase of residential properties in England and Northern Ireland from £125,000 to £250,000. 3.30 The government will also increase the relief that first-time buyers can receive. From 23 September 2022, the threshold at which first-time buyers begin to pay residential SDLT will increase from £300,000 to £425,000 and the maximum value of a property on which first-time buyers relief can be claimed will also increase from £500,000 to £625,000. These changes will reduce the cost of purchasing a home and will take 200,000 homebuyers, including 60,000 first-time buyers, out of SDLT entirely. As SDLT is devolved in Scotland and Wales, the Scottish and Welsh Governments will receive funding through the agreed fiscal framework to allocate as they see fit. 3.31 To make buying a home a reality, the government must accelerate housing delivery. Planning permission was granted for more than 310,000 homes last year, up 10% on the year 10 before, but further reform is needed. Later this autumn, the government will set out its vision to unlock homeownership for a new generation by building more homes in the places people 10 Planning applications in England: October to December 2021, DLUHC, March 2022 The Growth Plan 2022 20