Can equity release help older home-owners improve their quality of life?

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) have produced this Solutions document and believe that equity release can be a common-sense, affordable solution for a significant number of older people who own their homes but have very small incomes. They state that, so far, there has been nonstraightforward way to unlock equity in older people's homes without putting their Pension Credit at risk.

In collaboration with the equity release industry, local authorities, voluntary bodies, and the Department for Work and Pensions, the JRF have launched a 20 months pilot scheme in three local authorities that will test a new equity release product endorsed by SHIP, the equity release trade body.

The link below covers the development of these schemes and provides tools for others interested in developing a similar approach.