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According to research, the number of new and returning equity release customers reached 93,421 in 2022, meaning more people are choosing these products and it’s likely that the cost of living crisis has something to do with it.

Legal & General, for example, which is one of the UK’s largest equity release lenders, outlined that 25% of those taking out loans are now doing so to supplement their income; this is reportedly up from 19% in the previous year.

You might be wondering whether equity release is a good option for you, or you may be new to the term and keen to learn more; either way, at The Salary Calculator, you’re in good hands. This week, we’ll explore the following:

• What equity release is and the different types
• The advantages of equity release
• The drawbacks
• The Equity Release Council’s new guidance

What is Equity Release?

Equity release products enable you to access the equity (money) tied up in your home as you get older. There are two main types of equity release, the first being Lifetime Mortgages, which allow you to take out either a lump sum or instalments of cash against the value of your home, while retaining ownership. Typically, you can borrow between 20% and 50% of your home’s valuation, and the amount you can take out, will depend on your age.

You can begin to access these plans from age 55. Interest is applied on an increasing sum, meaning that your interest is added to your debt on a continual basis. That being said, you’ll never pay more than the value of your home. The loan and any interest will be paid off by selling the property when you either pass away or move into long-term care. Statistics show that these kinds of equity-release products make up around 95% of the market.

Home reversions, on the other hand, are offered to those aged 60 and up, and with this product, you don’t retain ownership of your home, or at most, only part of it (between 25% – 100% is sold). While you give up full ownership of your house with home reversions, you maintain the legal right to remain in your home until you die or move into long-term care. Likewise, your lender will pay you less than the market value of your home.

To find out which equity release product best suits your needs, it’s worth speaking with an equity release advisor; if you choose to take one out, you’ll have to do it through a financial adviser, too. The former will take into consideration a number of different factors in their recommendation to you, including:

• The value of your property
• Your current and future financial and lifestyle requirements
• Your age

The advantages of equity release

When it comes to assessing the advantages of equity release, it’s worth noting that in both versions of equity release, any of the cash that you receive is tax-free, and you won’t find yourself in negative equity because, when your property gets sold, additional debt not covered by the property sale will be written off. Likewise, you can take money out of your home when you need it, and aren’t required to make monthly repayments.

Further, you also have the right to move home, and take your mortgage with you, so you’re not bound to one property.

Similarly, with both, you can opt to pay back your loan or buy back your home, however, it’s worth bearing in mind that this can cost you quite a bit. The same goes for paying your loan off early, it is doable, but you may be hit with early repayment charges.

The drawbacks

While there are undoubtedly some attractive qualities to equity release, there are some downsides, too, which are worth taking into consideration. With lifetime loans, for example, you could end up in a position where you owe more than you borrowed when the home comes to being sold. Although, there are ways out of this, and you can decide to pay off the interest each year as you go. To make things more bitesize, you can also opt for a series of smaller lifetime mortgages.

When it comes to equity release, you may also impact your entitlement to mean-tested state benefits, this includes Pension credit, savings credit and council tax benefit, so be wary. You will also encounter lender fees, solicitor fees, and equity release advisor fees; expect to spend between £2,000 and £3,000.

More generally, opting for equity release also means that you might leave behind less inheritance for your family when you pass on.

With home reversion, on the other hand, you can only receive a maximum of 60% of the market value of your home, and in more cases than not, it will actually be much less than this.

Equity Release Council releases new guidance

When thinking about pursuing equity release, you can be safe in the knowledge that all firms that either advise on or sell equity release are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). That being said, it’s wise to make sure you go with a company that is a member of the Equity Release Council. Members follow a voluntary code of conduct, which ensures certain product standards.

There have been recent updates in this area, too. The council recently released its consumer guide, which advises potential customers on fees, enabling them to understand what they mean and compare fees and charges across different equity release deals. The council is also recommending that equity release advisors adopt the language in the guide to simplify things for customers and make it more accessible. The guide can be found here.

Speaking about this, Jim Boyd, CEO of the ERC, explained that customers are often presented with unfamiliar terms and definitions, and to complicate matters further, different firms often use slightly different language, which can complicate things for customers.

He outlined: “The council’s guidance describes all the fees and charges that could be relevant to an equity release application, depending on its complexity. Our aim is to establish a set of standard definitions to help consumers to understand their options as they explore the equity release process with a regulated adviser.”

He added that the council understands that adopting changes takes time, but that the arrival of the “Consumer Duty” is a chance for the industry to take stock and “move towards a standardised approach.” “We hope all firms will take this guidance on board when they next revisit their approach, so it becomes the standard across the equity release market,” he said.