Hodge is making some “positive” changes to its lending criteria and is resuming lending up to 70% LTV, following the easing of some Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.

It is also lifting some of the temporary restrictions on its criteria, including removing the loan to income restriction of 4.5 x income for like-for-like re-mortgages, taking it back up to 6x income and reintroducing the consideration of earned income up to the age of 80 for affordability.

Emma Graham, business development director at Hodge, said: “We’re pleased to be lifting some of the restrictions we placed on our later-life lending range. These changes will start to bring us back to where we were before the outbreak of Covid-19 and will allow us to help more customers at this very challenging time.

“Flexibility has never been more important, and we would like to remind our intermediaries that we’ll continue to work with them to accommodate exceptions where ever possible, so please do get in touch with your dedicated business development manager or our lending support desk.

“As a responsible lender, we will continue to monitor the situation and improve our criteria where and when possible. These past few months have been difficult for all of us, intermediaries, customers and the finance sector alike, so it is great that we are getting back to some semblance of normality and offering our usual competitive and adaptable service.”