Equity release enters mainstream political debate

Equity release issues are moving to the forefront of political debate concerning the funding of retirement, it is believed.

Andrea Rozario, the director general of Safe Home Income Plans (SHIP), has welcomed recent discussions by the All Party Parliamentary Group focusing on insurance and financial services, in which it examined the need for equity release to be recognised as a key solution to what is an increasing problem.

"It is gratifying to see housing equity taking its place in the mainstream retirement funding canon," she said.

"The debate produced by this group is the first vital step in bringing equity release much closer to the heart of government thinking," Ms Rozario added.

She also revealed that SHIP will continue to build on the recent successes it has achieved in presenting equity release plans as a very real solution to the retirement funding crisis.

Recent research by the National Association of Pension Funds found that one in three people are not confident their pension will give them sufficient money in retirement.

Ashall Glover Financial Services are equity release specialists