Aviva reports 19% growth in equity release

Positive reaction to flexible repayment option

Aviva has reported strong growth in its equity release business, with new business sales increasing by 19% during the first half of 2026.

The insurer said equity release sales reached £193 million in the first six months of the year, compared with £162 million during the same period in 2025.

Aviva attributed the growth to a strong response to the launch of Lifestyle Flexible Advantage, a lifetime mortgage that gives customers options for flexible repayments.

With this product, customers can make voluntary regular or ad-hoc repayments. This means that less money will need to be repaid from the sale of the borrower’s home when they pass away or move into long-term care. 

What’s more, each time a repayment is made, Aviva will contribute an additional ‘bonus uplift’ to help cover the interest on the loan. 

Part of a trend for increased equity release lending

The figures come at a time when the wider equity release market has shown signs of recovery. Latest figures from the Equity Release Council show that total lending increased during the second quarter of 2026, while the number of new customers also rose.

Equity release was one of the strongest-performing areas of Aviva’s retirement business during the period, alongside individual annuities, where sales increased by 11%.

Is equity release right for you?

Equity release allows homeowners aged 55 and over to access some of the money tied up in their property without having to sell or move home. A lifetime mortgage is the most common form of equity release. This form of lending is a secured loan that’s typically repaid via the sale of your home, along with any accrued interest, when you pass away or move into long-term care.

However, releasing equity is a major financial decision. Interest can build up over time and reduce the value of the estate left to beneficiaries, while taking out equity release can also affect entitlement to some means-tested benefits.

Anyone considering equity release should take specialist financial advice to understand how it could affect their individual circumstances.

If you want to understand how much you could release, you can use our equity release calculator. You can also call us on 0808 178 3055 or request a call back to speak to one of our selected equity release advisers.