LV= says a lifetime mortgage is the only equity release it offers. Its lending criteria start with age 55, a UK home and a value of at least £70,000.

If you are checking LV= equity release lending criteria, start with what LV= publishes: a lifetime mortgage range, an advice service, and a separate area for people who already have a plan. Whether rules like LV=’s on age, value and build fit your own property, a qualified equity release adviser with FCA authorisation can tell you; to have one ring you free, complete the form on this page.

Does LV= do equity release?

Yes, in one form. LV=’s equity release FAQ, read on 29 October 2026, says a lifetime mortgage is “the only type of Equity Release which LV= offers”, and its home reversion line is plain: “At LV= we don’t currently offer advice on home reversion plans.” Its lump sum page says LV= offers its own lifetime mortgage products but does not advise only on those.

For the wider picture, see how equity release works in the UK and how to compare providers. LV= says the features and risks of a plan are set out in a personalised illustration, so that is where the plans and terms open to a new applicant on a given date appear.

Which lifetime mortgages does LV= list?

The hub for existing customers sets out further-advance terms for six products: Lifetime Mortgage Lump Sum+, Drawdown+, Lump Sum Lifestyle, Drawdown Lifestyle, Lifetime Mortgage – Lump Sum, and Flexible Lifetime Mortgage. Its public pages describe two shapes. A lump sum pays one amount at the start, while a drawdown sets up a cash facility that LV= puts at typically 10% to 25% of the property’s value, with access to it not guaranteed.

On 30 October 2023 LV= announced its Lifestyle range, with an Inheritance Protection option included as standard to ring-fence part of a home’s value for loved ones. How a drawdown lifetime mortgage works explains the facility idea in general.

What are LV=’s equity release lending criteria?

On its main page, read on 29 October 2026, LV= sets three minimum requirements: the borrower must be 55 or over, the home must be in the UK, and it must be worth at least £70,000. It says a home may not be eligible if the build is non-standard, such as prefab or a wooden or steel frame, and for leasehold it looks at the remaining lease and any lease issues.

Its FAQ lists property types unlikely to suit equity release providers generally, among them studio or basement flats, static homes, houseboats and farms; that is a general list, not LV=’s own rule. Age limits across lenders are in equity release age limits, and amounts in how much you can release. A flat, a leasehold or an unusual build is exactly what an adviser can look at for free once you send the form.

What does LV= charge if you repay early?

LV=’s guide of 19 June 2025 says most providers set an annual cap on repayments free of early repayment charges, often 10% of the sum first borrowed. That describes providers generally. When the Lifestyle products launched in October 2023, LV= said customers could make “optional repayments up to 11% of loans advanced for each of the first eight years, within a fixed early repayment structure”, with no charge on repayments after eight years. Those are 2023 launch terms; a plan offered now may differ.

Its drawdown page says early repayment charges differ from product to product, and its FAQ says they should be explained at the outset and set out in your documentation. Under the Council’s product standards a charge is dropped if a customer has to enter long-term care permanently, provided a doctor’s certificate is received and the loan terms are met. Repaying equity release early gives the general rules.

Is there a no negative equity guarantee, and is LV= in the Equity Release Council?

LV= says: “We are proud members of the Equity Release Council.” The Council’s directory, read the same day, has an LV= entry, which says LV= has offered lifetime mortgage options since 2002. The Council states the guarantee as a standard: “provided the secured property is sold for the best price reasonably obtainable and the terms and conditions of the loan have been met, the borrower or estate will never owe more than the property is worth, after deduction of reasonable sales costs”.

LV= puts it more briefly, then adds that, depending on the product, “there may be circumstances when the no-negative-equity guarantee does not apply in full, where you have breached your terms and conditions.” The Council’s standards bind its members and are not law; the Council’s standards have their own page.

What if you already have an LV= lifetime mortgage?

For more borrowing, LV= says to go to your financial adviser, as with the original plan. It sets an application fee of £125 for a further advance and requires a valuation. It warns: “Our lending criteria may be different from those applied at the time of your original lifetime mortgage offer,” and “Access to further advances is not guaranteed.” The minimum further advance is £2,000 or £5,000 depending on the product. Customers moving home use a separate LV= form; moving house with equity release and equity release top-ups cover the general position.

What does LV= say about advice and fees?

LV= warns that interest builds over time if not repaid during your lifetime, and that repaying the loan plus interest from your estate can reduce the inheritance left to loved ones (see how equity release works). LV= says advice is required to take out equity release, and that its own advisers charge £1,795 only if you proceed and the case completes, with lender and solicitor fees possible on top. The Council’s standards add: “All customers who take out equity release need to receive independent legal advice.” If LV= matters to you, ask on the first call which lenders the adviser can recommend from; choosing an adviser and equity release fees help you weigh the cost. Your own circumstances are best aired in a phone conversation, so use the form here when you are ready.

Other things people check about LV=

Do I need to clear my mortgage first?

Yes. LV=’s FAQ says equity release requires paying off any existing mortgage. Equity release with an existing mortgage explains what that means.

Could an LV= plan change my benefits?

LV= says released money may affect means-tested benefits now or later. See equity release and benefits.

Does LV= publish an interest rate?

LV=’s FAQ says the rate is normally fixed for life and “The rate applied will depend on the lender and product selected.” Your figure comes in a personalised illustration. Equity release rates shows how to read one.

Can LV=’s online tool estimate what I could release?

Yes. LV= says its free calculator lets you “quickly find out how much tax-free cash you could unlock from your home”. The firm figure comes later: after a valuation, LV=’s FAQ says, you are sent an offer setting out how much you can release.

Does Scots law change anything?

Yes. A Scottish home is secured by a standard security, the Scots-law counterpart of a mortgage charge, and the legal work follows Scots law; the equity release guide covers it.