Mortgage and protection brokerage Access Financial Services has become a member of the Equity Release Council (ERC).
Access Financial Services’ advisers operate in the mainstream and specialist mortgage sectors but have recently expanded to include equity release and later life lending.
The firm made this move to support what it said was an “under-served” area of the market. The division is being led by Adrian Brewer, who was appointed as the firm’s head of later life in November.
Access Financial Services has joined the ERC to help it be more active in the later life and equity release market by taking part in discussions around how it can better serve borrowers.
Access Financial Services said it wanted to expand its later life proposition, build awareness among advisers and reach out to people who may not have had access to financial options.
Brewer said: “Later life lending is such an important part of the lending sphere. So many older people are left without the support they need because they don’t have access to the right advice. Equity release plays an important part in this advice, but so do all of the later life lending options as one size doesn’t always work for everyone.
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“Joining the ERC means that we can play a more active role in this market, working with the council and with peers to get the right options to the right people in the right way.”
Jim Boyd, CEO of the ERC, added: “It has never been more important to provide the right financial advice to people of all ages, but particularly those in later life who may not be aware of all their options or be unsure of how to access the value tied up in their home.
“It is therefore vital to have high-quality financial advisers, like Access FS, join the council to ensure that we can broaden our accessibility to good advice. By becoming a member of the council, Access FS can also play an active part in building the future direction of this industry, helping to deliver better outcomes for older people.”
