Mortgages · Equity Release
Releasing value from your home, without moving out.
Equity release lets homeowners aged 55+ access some of the value tied up in their property, tax-free, without selling or moving. It's a significant, often irreversible financial decision — we'll talk through whether it genuinely suits your circumstances and the alternatives before anything else.
What equity release means, in plain terms
The most common form is a lifetime mortgage — a loan secured against your home that doesn’t require monthly repayments (though some plans allow optional ones), with interest rolling up over time and the loan plus interest typically repaid when you die or move into long-term care, usually from the sale of the property. A home reversion plan involves selling part or all of your home to a provider in exchange for a lump sum or income, while retaining the right to live there.
Both reduce the value of your estate and the inheritance you leave behind — interest on a lifetime mortgage also compounds, meaning the amount owed can grow significantly over a long retirement. It is not a decision to make lightly — it is not automatically the best answer just because it’s available. Downsizing, other borrowing or family arrangements are all worth considering alongside it.
This is a specialist area of advice with its own regulatory requirements, separate from standard mortgage advice. We’ll always have an honest conversation about whether it’s worth exploring further before any recommendation is made.
A lifetime mortgage can reduce the value of your estate and may affect your entitlement to means-tested benefits. Before you take a loan against your property, be sure to weigh up your options. Ask us for advice.
Who this is for
- Homeowners aged 55 and over
- Wanting to release cash without downsizing
- Supplementing retirement income
- Helping family with a house deposit or gift
- Home improvements or later-life care costs
- Considering it as one option among several
How it works
A proper conversation first
Your circumstances, alternatives and whether equity release is genuinely appropriate — not assumed from the outset.
Understanding the options
Lifetime mortgages and home reversion plans work differently — we explain both, in plain English.
Specialist advice
Equity release advice requires specific regulatory permissions — where appropriate, we connect you with suitably qualified specialist advice.
Family involvement
We encourage involving family in the conversation, given the impact on inheritance and later-life plans.
Common questions
- The minimum age for most equity release plans in the UK is 55, though some providers set this at 60. For a joint application, lenders typically work from the age of the younger applicant. Meeting the age requirement is necessary but not sufficient — the property value, remaining mortgage balance and the amount you wish to release are all assessed.
- Yes, in most cases. A lifetime mortgage — the most common form — compounds interest over time and is repaid from the sale of the property when you die or move into long-term care. The amount owed can grow significantly over a long retirement, reducing what remains in your estate. Some plans offer an inheritance protection option that ringfences a proportion of the property's value.
- Receiving a cash lump sum from equity release can affect entitlement to means-tested benefits, as it increases your capital above relevant thresholds. This is worth discussing with a benefits adviser or the relevant government service before proceeding, particularly if you receive pension credit, council tax support or similar benefits.
- Most lifetime mortgages allow early repayment, but early repayment charges typically apply — these can be substantial, particularly in the early years of the plan. Some plans use a fixed ERC schedule; others are linked to gilt rates, meaning the cost of early repayment can fluctuate. Understanding the ERC terms before committing is essential.
What is the minimum age for equity release?
Does equity release affect inheritance?
Will equity release affect my means-tested benefits?
Can equity release be repaid early?
Reviewed by Yazdaan Hussain · CeMAP qualified · LLB
21 August 2026
Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage or other loans secured upon it.