Pensioners earn £3,500 a month from their homes
07 October 2017
Over-65 homeowners’ property wealth hits new record of £1.101 trillion, Key Retirement Pensioner Property Equity Index shows. Total over-65 homeowner property wealth grows £47 billion since May.
Retired homeowners have earned £3,500 a month from their houses in the three months to the end of August as their total property wealth hit a new record high, analysis* from leading over-55s financial specialist Key Retirement shows.
Total property wealth owned by over-65s who have paid off their mortgages grew to a record £1.101 trillion in August.
More than £47.2 billion has been added to the property wealth of the UK’s over-65 homeowners over the three months as the property market recovered across all regions.
The value of property investment is underlined by Key’s index - since the group started analysing over-65s housing wealth in 2010 retired homeowners have seen growth of 41% or £321 billion which is worth around £68,500 on average for every over-65 homeowner. Owning a home has been worth around £9,800 a year for over-65s.
Key’s Pensioner Property Equity Index shows the biggest individual gains were in London where over-65s in London made nearly £17,000 each from their properties but pensioners in East Anglia, Scotland, the South West and the North East also saw double-digit gains.
The strength of the housing market means property wealth is making a major contribution to retirement standards of living as the equity release market expands. Average equity release customers** are cashing in £70,625 of property wealth and nearly £114,000 in London and £82,000 in the South East.
Dean Mirfin, Chief Product Officer at Key Retirement said: “The strength of the housing market over the three months has significantly boosted property wealth for pensioners making as much as £3,500 a month.
“Prices may not continue to grow as fast but pensioners who have paid off mortgages can still rely on tax-free returns no matter what happens in the short and medium term.
“The average homeowner is releasing through equity release the equivalent of the gains made since 2010 and property wealth is having a dramatic effect on the standards of retirement living for many thousands across the UK.”
The table below shows the detailed picture across Great Britain
Region |
Average change in value of home equity for homeowners aged 65+ (between May 2017 and August index) | Combined change in value of home equity for homeowners aged 65+ (between May 2017and August 2017 index) |
| South East | increase of £9,391 | +£6.160 billion |
| London | Increase of £16,987 | +£6.217 billion |
| South West | increase of £11,991 | +£7.513 billion |
| North West | increase of £7,177 | +£4.815 billion |
| East Anglia | increase of £12,821 | +£6.051 billion |
| East Midlands | increase of £8,463 | +£3.649 billion |
| West Midlands | increase of £8,784 | +£3.184 billion |
| Yorks/Humbs | increase of £8,614 | +£2.846 billion |
| Scotland | increase of £12,046 | +£3.396 billion |
| Wales | increase of £3,100 | +£820.26 million |
| North East | increase of £10,701 | +£2.942 billion |
| GREAT BRITAIN | +£10,602 | +£47.202 billion |
The table below shows over-65s in the North West are most likely to own outright with 671,000 having paid off mortgages compared with 656,000 in the South East.
Region |
Estimated property equity in homes owned outright by people aged 65+ (August 2017) | Estimated percentage of total value of property equity belonging to people aged 65+ (August 2017) | Number of households in the region owned outright by people aged 65+ |
| South East | £210.513 billion | 19.11% | 656,000 |
| London | £178.874 billion | 16.24% | 366,000 |
| South West | £158.036 billion | 14.35% | 626,600 |
| East Anglia | £136.855 billion | 12.42% | 472,000 |
| North West | £105.633 billion | 9.59% | 671,000 |
| East Midlands | £79.632 billion | 7.23% | 431,200 |
| West Midlands | £67.765 billion | 6.15% | 358,400 |
| Yorks/Humbs | £45.662 billion | 4.15% | 288,600 |
| Scotland | £42.070 billion | 3.82% | 282,000 |
| Wales | £39.913 billion | 3.62% | 264,600 |
| North East | £36.574 billion | 3.32% | 275,000 |
| GREAT BRITAIN | £1.101 trillion | 4,691,400 |
Anyone looking to release equity from their home can get Key’s independent guide to equity release by calling 0800 531 6010 or visiting: www.keyadvice.co.uk/equity-release/request-a-free-guide
Notes to Editors
* Key Retirement’s Pensioner Property Equity Index tracks the amount of equity held in property by people over 65 years old in Great Britain. Figures are based on analysis of data from the ONS Family Spending Report (2014), the UK House Price Index, Registers of Scotland House Price Statistics and ICM (2014) and Key Retirement’s UK Equity Release Market Monitor.
**Key Retirement market data for H1 2017. The Monitor uses Key’s data to reflect the market as a whole. The data reflects both members and non-members of the Equity Release Council, and provides the most detailed analysis of the equity release sector