Mortgages Over 70, 75 and 80
Being in your seventies or eighties does not stop you getting a mortgage. What changes is the choice of lender. Each one sets its own maximum age to apply and its own maximum age at the end of the term, and the gap between the strictest and the most flexible is more than twenty years.
- Maximum ages at application and at term end
- Which lenders go to 85, 95 or have no limit
- How pension income and drawdown are assessed
- Shorter terms, joint borrowers and existing customers
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Lender age limits compared
From each lender's own published criteria and announcements, checked 11 October 2026.
| Lender | Age to apply | Age at end of term | Points to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| TSB | From 18 | 75 for all residential lending | Interest-only limited to 70 or retirement age, whichever is lower |
| Nationwide | Up to 75 for new borrowers | Maximum retirement age 70 | Existing borrowers aged 75 and over can port on a like-for-like basis without extending the term or borrowing more |
| Leeds Building Society | 18 to 80 | Up to the 85th birthday | Maximum term 40 years. Maximum retirement age 70 |
| Newcastle Building Society | Not stated in the announcement | No maximum on standard repayment mortgages since August 2025 | The age 80 limit still applies to interest-only |
| Family Building Society | No maximum on RIO | Normally 95, and no maximum on RIO | Offers retirement interest-only from age 55 |
Criteria change often and each case is assessed individually. Building societies and specialist lenders tend to be more flexible on age than the largest banks.
At a Glance
What lenders look for after 70
Income for the whole term. If you are still working, the lender wants to know when you will stop and what you will live on afterwards. If you are retired, it assesses your pensions. Our page on pension income mortgages explains how each type is treated.
Drawdown. Income drawn from a pension pot is accepted by many lenders, but they check the fund will last the term rather than taking the current withdrawal at face value.
A shorter term. The age limit at the end of the term often means a shorter term, and a shorter term means higher monthly payments on a repayment mortgage. Use our repayment calculator to see the effect.
Joint applications. The term is usually based on the older applicant. If one of you is much younger, a lender with a higher age limit may offer a longer term.
A lower loan to value often helps. Lenders are more comfortable lending to older borrowers where the loan is a small share of the home's value.
If a standard mortgage does not fit
Retirement interest-only. A RIO mortgage has no end date, so the age at the end of the term does not apply. You pay the interest monthly and the loan is usually repaid when the home is sold.
Interest-only with a repayment plan. Some lenders allow interest-only into later life where there is a clear plan, such as downsizing with enough equity. Lenders often set lower age limits for interest-only.
Downsizing. Selling and buying a smaller home can reduce or clear the mortgage. Our page on downsizing mortgages covers the costs and the lending.
Equity release. Lifetime mortgages have no monthly payments and are available at older ages, but the interest rolls up. They need advice from a qualified equity release adviser.
If you have been turned down on age, it is usually one lender's policy, not the market's answer. Tell us who declined and why.
Where to go next
The pages most often read alongside this one.
How we place an older borrower
Age limits narrow the field, so we start there.
Check the ages
Both applicants, now and at the end of the term you want.
Review the income
Earnings, pensions in payment and pensions to come.
Shortlist lenders
Those whose age, income and loan to value rules fit.
Application
Submitted with full pension and income evidence.
Completion
We manage the case through to completion.
Read more about borrowing later in life
Related guides.
Turned down on age?
Tell us your ages, income and what you need. We will find the lenders whose limits fit.
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Mortgages Over 70: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a mortgage at 70?
Yes, with the right lender. Leeds Building Society accepts applicants up to 80 with a term to the 85th birthday, and Newcastle Building Society has no maximum age on standard repayment mortgages.
Can I get a mortgage at 75?
Often. Nationwide accepts new borrowers up to 75, and several building societies lend well beyond that. TSB, by contrast, caps all residential terms at 75.
Can I get a mortgage at 80?
Yes, from some lenders. Leeds Building Society accepts applicants up to 80, and retirement interest-only mortgages from lenders such as Family Building Society have no maximum age.
What is the maximum age at the end of a mortgage term?
It depends on the lender, from 75 at TSB to 85 at Leeds Building Society, 95 normally at Family Building Society and no maximum on standard repayment mortgages at Newcastle Building Society.
How long a mortgage term can I get at 70?
Usually up to the lender’s maximum age at the end of the term. At a lender lending to 85, a 70-year-old could be offered up to 15 years.
Do lenders accept pension income?
Yes. State, defined benefit and annuity income are widely accepted. Drawdown is accepted by many lenders with a check on the size of the fund.
Does the older applicant set the term on a joint mortgage?
Usually, yes. Lenders generally base the term on the age of the older applicant.
Can I keep my existing mortgage past 75?
Existing borrowers often have more options. Nationwide, for example, lets existing borrowers aged 75 and over port their mortgage on a like-for-like basis.
Is interest-only available over 70?
Less often. TSB limits interest-only to 70 or retirement age, and Newcastle keeps an age 80 limit on interest-only. A retirement interest-only mortgage is designed for later life.
Why was I declined because of my age?
Because that lender’s age limit did not fit your term. Other lenders have higher limits or none, so a decline from one lender rarely means a decline from all.
Written and reviewed by Osman Emin, CeMAP, mortgage and protection adviser · FCA register OCE01003 · Updated YOUR HOME OR PROPERTY MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.