Property as a pension reaches £10 billion a year

That's the annual income generated by buy to let properties for England's growing number of retired landlords according to new research by Savills.

The government's English Private Landlord Survey showed that 54% of landlords are using buy to let as a "long term investment to contribute towards their pension".

Further research by Savills found that retired households own some 1.49 million properties, worth an estimated £430 billion, generating an annual income of just over £10 billion.

They expect retirees' residential investment income to continue to grow, with £340 million of stock owned by households reaching retirement age in the next decade.

"Buy to let investment has been an attractive way to supplement or build up retirement savings over the past 20 years, especially for the self-employed£ according to Lucian Cook, head of residential research at Savills.

"Many are proclaiming that the golden age of buy to let investment is over because of increased regulatory requirements, a higher tax burden and the prospect of further increases in the cost of debt. But it is set to play an increasingly important role in providing pension income, with many landlords, who were at the forefront of the buy to let explosion of the noughties, now hitting or approaching retirement age.

"Older landlords will be an important source of private rented accommodation for younger households."