Equity Release

Types of Equity Release Plans

The UK equity release market is basically made up of two types of equity release plan. The most popular plan is a lifetime mortgage – where the homeowner retains ownership of the property but the property is charged with the repayment of a loan or mortgage, which accrues rolled up interest over the period of the homeowner’s lifetime. To help customers decide whether equity release is right for them, a number of companies provide a free equity release calculator to show a rough estimate of the amount of equity that could be released.

The other type of plan is a reversion plan – where the homeowners sells all or part of the property to the equity release provider in return for a right to remain there rent free.

The UK equity release market is now fully regulated. Both lifetime mortgages and home reversion plans now fall under the remit of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Prior to FCA regulation, many lenders signed up to SHIP, a voluntary code of conduct that provides a number of guarantees.

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Advantages of Equity release

• It can provide a lump-sum of tax-free cash or a steady income (annuity), which can be index-linked, for the rest of your life.
• It can reduce the amount of inheritance tax paid by your estate.
• The no negative equity guarantee (NNEG) protects the borrower in the event of a downturn in the housing market.
• If interest rates fall, borrowers are free to refinance their mortgages at a lower cost with other providers.

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Disadvantages of Equity Release

• It may decrease the amount of money your family will inherit upon your death – assuming the value of the property grows at a slower pace than the interest rate on the mortgage.
• It may reduce the amount that you can bequeath to charity.
• In the UK, it may impact any means tested benefits that the borrower may be entitled to.
• It’s far more expensive than selling the property to release equity
• Equity Release as a retirement option

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Equity Release as a retirement option

Increasingly, equity release is being considered as part of retirement planning for clients, as people look for ways of improving their income in retirement. Using what is often their biggest financial asset, bricks and mortar, can prove to be an appropriate solution. We at EP Wealth Management Ltd are authorised for equity release and proud to be active members of the Equity Release Council. Dependant upon the adviser referred to a fee may be payable for equity release advice.

An equity release product will reduce the value of your estate, will not be suitable for everyone and may affect your entitlement to state benefits.
To understand the benefits and risks please ask for a personalised illustration

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