The Equity Release Council is the UK’s trade body for equity release and later life lending. We set trusted standards and protections that our members commit to uphold.
We bring together lenders, advisers, legal experts, funders, and service providers who share a single goal: helping consumers use their property wealth safely, confidently, and responsibly.
For 35 years, our Standards have underpinned one of the UK’s most respected and well-regulated financial markets. They have helped build a sector based on fairness, transparency, and strong consumer protection, giving confidence to consumers and credibility to professionals.
Our Vision
Every homeowner can use their property wealth safely, confidently, and responsibly in later life.
51%
of UK households are expected to rely on the value of their home to support spending in later life.
Our purpose is simple: to promote a responsible later life lending market by uniting members behind shared standards, trusted advice, and transparent practices that protect consumers and build confidence.
96%
of our members say they would recommend membership to a colleague
Our values define who we are, guide how we work, and shape the trust placed in us by consumers, members, and partners.
They underpin every Standard we set, every decision we make, and every partnership we form.
They ensure that our purpose to protect consumers and promote confidence in later life lending is delivered with principle and humanity.
Accountability
We are responsible for our actions and transparent in how we operate. We uphold the same high standards we expect of others, reporting openly on our performance and impact. Accountability builds confidence, from regulators, from members, and from the public.
Care
We remember that behind every policy, product, or principle is a person making a life decision. Care grounds our work in reality and ensures that every outcome reflects empathy, respect, and dignity. It reminds us that our role is not only to protect consumers but to help them live with confidence and choice in later life.
Collaboration
We achieve more together than alone. By bringing lenders, advisers, funders, legal experts, and policymakers around one table, we foster understanding, share expertise, and create solutions that serve both the market and the consumer. Collaboration turns competing interests into shared progress.
Excellence
We set high standards and help others reach them. From professional development to thought leadership, we champion learning, reflection, and improvement. Excellence is not a destination but a discipline and a commitment to quality, growth, and continual improvement.
Integrity
We act with honesty, fairness, and independence. Our decisions are guided by evidence and principle, not convenience or short-term gain. Integrity underpins our authority: consumers trust our standards, and members trust our leadership, because both know we do what is right, not what is easy.
We are evolving
Our refreshed identity shows how both the market and our role within it are evolving.
With 35 years of leadership in equity release, we are now broadening our focus to the wider later life lending market, while staying committed to consumer protection, professional standards, and responsible growth.
As demographic change, shifting consumer needs and product innovation reshape the landscape, equity release no longer sits in isolation. It forms part of a broader later life lending market, and we are evolving to lead it.
Our History
For 35 years, the Council’s Standards have shaped one of the UK’s most respected and well-regulated financial markets. They have helped build a sector based on fairness, transparency, and strong consumer protection, giving consumers confidence and professionals credibility. These principles still guide us today. But the market is changing. Demographic shifts, evolving consumer needs, and a wider range of later life lending products mean equity release is now part of a broader later life lending landscape.
Some key milestones:
1991
Safe Home Income Plans launches Standards
2004
Lifetime Mortgages regulated
2007
Home Reversions regulated
2012
Equity Release Council is formed
2022
Voluntary payment Standard introduced
2025
Care Standard and Consumer Charter introduced
Shaping the future of later life lending
We work with regulators, government departments, consumer organisations, and industry partners to ensure later life lending develops responsibly and sustainably.
Through policy engagement, research, and consultation responses, we help create a market that balances innovation with consumer protection.
Our Year in Review 2025 captures a pivotal year of progress and sets out our refreshed brand and strategic direction as we step forward with renewed purpose.
