What Age Can You Get Equity Release?

Minimum age for equity release

Lifetime mortgage: age 55

The most common form of equity release — the lifetime mortgage — is available from age 55. This threshold is established by the Equity Release Council, the industry body whose members must adhere to its standards. Below this age, no standard equity release product exists.

At 55, the maximum loan-to-value (LTV) a lender will offer is at its lowest — typically 20–25% of the property's value. This conservatism reflects the longer period the loan is likely to remain outstanding before repayment is triggered by death or a move into long-term care.

Home reversion plan: age 65 (typically)

A home reversion plan involves selling a share of your property to a provider in return for a lump sum or regular income. Unlike a lifetime mortgage, you receive less than the market value of the share you sell — the discount compensates the provider for the uncertainty over when they will receive the property. Most providers set the minimum age at 65 to ensure this discount remains commercially viable; some require applicants to be older still.

Under 55?

No equity release product is available to homeowners under 55. If you own a property and want to release cash before reaching that age, the main alternatives are a standard remortgage, a further advance from your existing lender, or a secured loan. See our guide to alternatives to equity release.

Is there a maximum age for equity release?

Most lifetime mortgage lenders do not set a fixed upper age limit, and lending to homeowners in their 80s and 90s is common. Some lenders do cap applications at 85 or 90, so the choice of provider matters more at older ages — an equity release adviser can identify lenders with no upper age cap if needed.

Older applicants can often borrow a higher proportion of their property's value than younger borrowers (see the table below), because the loan is statistically likely to be repaid over a shorter period, reducing the lender's exposure to compound interest risk.

How age affects how much you can borrow

LTV by age — lifetime mortgage (single applicant)

The amount you can borrow is expressed as a loan-to-value (LTV) — a percentage of your property's current market value. The older you are, the higher the LTV a lender is typically willing to offer. The table below shows approximate LTV ranges by age for a single applicant taking a lifetime mortgage. These are indicative figures; actual offers vary between lenders.

LTV figures are indicative and vary between lenders. Enhanced plans for applicants with qualifying health conditions may offer higher percentages. For joint applications, the younger applicant's age determines the LTV. Figures correct as of June 2026.

These figures represent the maximum typically available — you can choose to borrow less. Drawdown plans allow you to take an initial amount now and draw further funds later.

Use our equity release calculator to model what your loan balance could look like over time.

Use our eligibility checker to see if you qualify →

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What does this mean in practice?

Using a property valued at £300,000 and the midpoints of the typical LTV ranges above:

Actual amounts depend on the lender, property type, health, and whether you choose a lump sum or drawdown plan.

Equity release age rules for couples

When a plan is taken out in joint names, the younger applicant's age determines the maximum LTV. This is because the plan must remain in place until both applicants have either died or moved into long-term care — so the lender prices the product based on the longer of the two expected loan terms.

This has a practical consequence: if there is a significant age gap between partners, the younger partner's age will reduce the amount available to borrow compared to a sole application by the older partner.

Example: One partner is 72, the other is 63. The LTV available will be based on age 63, not 72 — meaning a lower maximum borrowing amount than if the older partner applied alone.

Both applicants must be at least 55 for a lifetime mortgage and typically at least 65 for a home reversion plan. For more detail on how joint plans work, see Can couples get equity release?

Can I get equity release at 55?

Yes — 55 is the minimum age for a lifetime mortgage, with the lowest LTV on the age scale (typically 20–25%). See our full breakdown of equity release at 55, including the compound interest considerations at this age.

Enhanced lifetime mortgages and age

Some lenders offer enhanced or impaired life equity release plans to applicants who have certain health conditions or lifestyle factors — including a history of smoking, high BMI, or a diagnosed condition such as diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. These plans can offer a higher LTV than the standard age-based figure, sometimes significantly so.

Enhanced plans are worth exploring regardless of age if any health or lifestyle factors apply. The health questionnaire used by lenders to assess eligibility covers a wide range of conditions, and even factors such as a current prescription or a past medical procedure can qualify an applicant for enhanced terms. A qualified equity release adviser can assess eligibility as part of the advice process.

Frequently asked questions