Equity in UK homes surpasses £650b for first time in Q1 2021

Homes England

The surge in potential available equity has been driven by higher house prices in the South East, London and the South West

The equity available for release in UK homes exceeded £650bn for the first time in Q1 2021, according to Canada Life.

The figures, based on the latest Halifax quarterly regional house price index, revealed that the total amount of housing equity available to homeowners aged over 55 now stands at an estimated £650.7bn; this is a rise of £50bn from the previous quarter.

A rise in loan-to-values (LTVs) across Canada Life’s product range and marginal rise in house prices can be attributed to the increase in the amount of equity available.

Higher house prices in the South East, London and the South West have driven this surge in potential available equity.

The average price of a property in the South East is now £345,000, creating £125bn of potential equity for the region or just more than £110,000 per household, the largest available equity by region in the UK.

This was closely followed by London which now has £123bn of potential equity or £161,276 per household.

Property prices in Wales and Scotland have also witnessed the largest percentage growth in house prices in the first quarter, rising 3.6% and 2.8% respectively.

Wales now has nearly £25bn of potential equity available, or just under £60,000 per household.

While in Scotland just over £40bn is available, working out at £58,000 per household.

Homeowners in the North East and Yorkshire had the least amount of equity available, with £47,421 and £56,778 per household respectively.

Alice Watson, head of marketing and insurance at Canada Life, said: The equity release market has shown great resilience over the last year and is continuing to thrive as more and more people see the benefits of accessing their property wealth in retirement.

Homeowners across the country are seeing increasing strains on their personal finances whether that’s from redundancy, rising living costs or caring responsibilities. The diverse nature of equity release products mean that they can be used to meet a range of evolving needs, while offering a combination of certainty and flexibility, Watson said.

Watson said fewer people are able to follow the ‘traditional’ journey of retiring with a comfortable pension and no mortgage debt, and as a result, the retirement market is undergoing a significant change.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of Getting Money Wise. The information provided on Getting Money Wise is intended for informational purposes only. Getting Money Wise is not liable for any financial losses incurred. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions.

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