The Intermediary – December 2025 - Flipbook - Page 57
L AT E R L I F E L E N D I N G
Opinion
fortable retirement
lending, breaking down any stigma
and misconceptions so they are
considered on their own terms.
Similarly, regulatory reform is
needed so advice silos are removed,
and customers benefit from a more
comprehensive assessment of the full
range of options open to them.
No longer an afterthought
That particular drum is one I’ve been
beating for a long time, and I remain
as convinced as ever that we are
still just scratching the surface with
lifetime mortgages.
There are too many advisers
for whom these products are an
aerthought when working with
clients over the age of 50, if they are
even considered at all. Yet, ignoring
lifetime mortgages, or only paying
them lip service, is a big mistake.
Many clients would benefit from them
being part of the discussion, while
recent regulator speeches indicate that
it now expects advisers to consider all
options for later life clients, not just
mainstream mortgages.
This isn’t an area of the market that
can be ignored, nor should it be, given
the incredible opportunities it offers
customers and advisers alike.
Let’s be realistic, the pressures
on retirement incomes aren’t going
anywhere. Homeowners across all
regions will increasingly want to
make the most of both retirement
savings and housing equity in their
later years, and product solutions
that make that possible will have to be
fully considered.
For advisers, the question cannot be
if they add later life lending to their
proposition, but when. ●
February 2025 | The Intermediary
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