Updated 11 August 2026 · July 2026 criteria

Equity release LTV calculator 2026

Your loan-to-value is the share of your home a lifetime mortgage lender will release. Enter your age and property value to see your maximum release on 2026 criteria — from 25% at age 55 to 54% at 80 and over.

Calculate your LTV

Free · 30 seconds
68
5580+
£
£
Maximum release
£164,000
Your LTV
41%
Net cash after mortgage
£164,000
Equity retained in home
£236,000
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Illustrative only, based on standard maximum LTVs for July 2026. Not an offer of credit. Your actual release depends on the lender's valuation, property type and health. Advice is required before proceeding with equity release.

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Key takeaways

  • Maximum LTV rises with age: 25% at 55, 38.5% at 65, 54% at 80+.
  • Joint applications are assessed on the age of the youngest homeowner.
  • Any outstanding mortgage must be repaid from the money released.
  • Minimum age is 55 and minimum property value is typically £70,000.
  • Enhanced plans can beat the standard table where health conditions apply.
Provider panel including Aviva, Canada Life, Crown Equity Release, Pure Retirement and Just
The short answer

How much can you release in 2026?

In 2026 the maximum equity release LTV starts at 25% of your property value at age 55 and rises by roughly one percentage point a year to 54% at age 80 and over. A 68-year-old with a £400,000 home and no mortgage can release up to 41%, or £164,000. Lenders use the age of the youngest applicant, deduct any outstanding mortgage, and can offer more than the standard maximum where health conditions apply.

Loan-to-value (LTV) — the maximum loan a lender will secure against your home, expressed as a percentage of its value. In equity release it is capped far below a residential mortgage because interest rolls up over your lifetime with no required monthly repayments.

On this page

Reviewed against our partnered provider's July 2026 lending criteria. Figures checked 11 August 2026.

How to work out your maximum

  1. STEP 1

    Take the youngest age

    Lenders assess on the youngest homeowner, even on a joint application.

  2. STEP 2

    Find that age's LTV

    Read the maximum percentage from the July 2026 table below.

  3. STEP 3

    Multiply by the value

    LTV × property value gives the gross maximum release.

  4. STEP 4

    Deduct the mortgage

    Any existing mortgage is repaid first, leaving your usable cash.

Equity release LTV by age table

Maximum loan-to-value for every applicant age on standard July 2026 criteria, with the cash that percentage represents on a £300,000 property.

Maximum LTV by age — July 2026
Age Maximum LTV Relative to age 80+ On a £300,000 home

Source: maximum LTV criteria on our partnered provider panel, July 2026. Individual lenders publish their own tables and may cap releases below these figures for flats, ex-local-authority or non-standard construction property.

What decides your LTV

Age of the youngest borrower

A lifetime mortgage runs until the last surviving borrower dies or moves into long-term care, so lenders price on the younger life. In your sixties, one year of age is worth roughly one percentage point of LTV.

The surveyor's valuation

Your percentage is applied to the lender's valuation, not your own estimate. Minimum property values start around £70,000, and non-standard construction, leasehold flats or annexes can attract a reduced maximum.

Health and lifestyle

Enhanced or medically underwritten plans take account of conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure or a history of smoking, and can lift the maximum above the standard table — sometimes materially at younger ages.

Any existing mortgage

Equity release requires paying off any existing mortgage, so the outstanding balance comes out of the release first. A £120,000 maximum against a £60,000 mortgage leaves £60,000 of usable cash.

The interest rate you accept

The top of the LTV band is normally the most expensive part of it. Taking a smaller share of your property value typically unlocks a lower fixed rate for the life of the plan.

Lump sum or drawdown

A drawdown plan approves your maximum but lets you take it in stages, so interest only rolls up on the cash you have actually drawn. The headline LTV is the same; the cost over twenty years is not.

Three worked examples

Age 60, single
£96,000
32% of £300,000
A £300,000 home with no mortgage. At 60 the maximum steps up sharply from 29% at 59, so waiting a single year here is worth about £9,000.
Ages 71 & 67, joint
£180,000
40% of £450,000
The younger applicant sets the LTV, so this couple is assessed at 67, not 71 — 40% rather than 44.5%, a difference of about £20,000.
Age 76, £50,000 mortgage
£100,000
50% of £300,000, less the mortgage
The gross maximum is £150,000. Because the existing mortgage must be repaid on completion, £100,000 is the cash actually available to spend.

LTV questions, answered

What is LTV in equity release?

LTV, or loan-to-value, is the percentage of your property's value a lifetime mortgage lender will release to you. A 40% LTV on a £400,000 home means a maximum release of £160,000.

What is the maximum LTV for equity release in 2026?

On standard 2026 criteria the maximum runs from about 25% at age 55 to about 54% at age 80 and over. Enhanced and medically underwritten plans can go above those figures.

How is LTV calculated for a joint application?

Lenders use the age of the youngest applicant, because the plan is only repaid when the last surviving borrower dies or moves into long-term care.

Does a higher LTV mean a higher interest rate?

Usually. Releasing close to your maximum normally attracts a higher fixed rate than releasing a smaller share, and because interest rolls up, the gap compounds over the life of the plan.

Do I need to pay off my existing mortgage first?

Equity release requires paying off any existing mortgage. It is settled out of the money released on completion, so the outstanding balance reduces the cash you receive.

Can I release the maximum LTV as a lump sum?

You can, or you can take a smaller initial amount and keep the rest as a drawdown reserve so interest only accrues on what you have taken.

What is the minimum age and property value?

55 is the minimum age for a lifetime mortgage, and lenders typically require a property worth at least £70,000.

Will my LTV change if house prices change?

The percentage stays the same, but it is applied to the lender's valuation at application — so a higher or lower valuation changes the cash figure.

Is equity release LTV the same as a normal mortgage LTV?

No. A residential mortgage can reach 90–95% LTV and is repaid monthly. Equity release LTV is capped much lower because interest rolls up over your lifetime with no required repayments.

Do I need advice before taking equity release?

Yes — advice is required before proceeding with equity release. It may also affect your entitlement to means-tested benefits now or in the future.

See what the panel would actually offer you

The table gives you the ceiling. A quote gives you the rate, the product and the small print. Our partner, Age Partnership, will be in touch with your figures — your details are not otherwise shared with any third parties.

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