Later life mortgage lending saw a notable increase in the second quarter of 2026, with both the number and value of new loans rising significantly compared to the previous year. Data from UK Finance shows that 37,300 new loans were advanced to older borrowers during Q2, marking a 13.4% increase from the same period in 2025.
The value of this lending grew even faster, rising by 20.5% year-on-year to reach £6.2 billion. Later life borrowing represented a substantial portion of the wider mortgage market, accounting for 7.8% of all residential loans and 20.6% of new buy-to-let loans advanced in Q2.
Retirement interest-only (RIO) mortgage volumes also increased, with 323 new loans completed, up 5.9% year-on-year. The value of RIO lending rose by 24% to £31 million. In contrast, lifetime mortgage activity was more subdued, with 5,730 new lifetime mortgages advanced, a 1.7% decrease from Q2 2025, though 8% higher than in Q1 2026. Lending for lifetime mortgages totalled £490 million.
David Forsdyke, head of later life lending at Knight Frank Finance, noted that while some Q2 2025 deals were brought forward due to stamp duty changes, the figures still indicate strong demand despite rising borrowing costs over the past three years. He suggested that demand is driven by the rising cost of living, parents and grandparents helping younger generations with property purchases, and homeowners restructuring mortgages that extend beyond retirement.