Over-65 homeowners have lost average of £4,290 each, due to falling property prices, according to Key Retirement Solutions’ Pensioner Property Index. This adds up to a collective £18.4 billion reduction in the past three months.

The equity release firm has calculated that retired homeowners have total property wealth owned outright of up to £751.3 billion.

The biggest losers were over-65 homeowners in Scotland where average losses were £8,720 while retired homeowners in the North East are £7,058 worse off after house price falls.

Only over-65 homeowners in London escaped the property market slide with housing equity virtually unchanged.

Key Retirement Solutions’ figures show nearly a third of property equity is owned by pensioners in London and the South East of England – in London over-65s own property without any mortgages worth £124.4 billion while in the South East pensioners own £121 billion of property without mortgages.

Dean Mirfin , group director at Key Retirement Solutions, said: “The housing market remains in the doldrums and the average losses of £4