Simply put, the equity you have in your home is the difference between the current market value of your property and the total sum of debts secured against it. The debts are mainly your primary mortgage.
There are a number of factors that dicate how much you may be able to release, such as the value of your property, your age and your health & lifestyle choices. By using our free equity release calculator, we’ll be able to give you a guide to the funds you may be able to release.
Once you’ve calculated how much you’re able to release, our expert advisers will be able to discuss your options with you. Our calculator uses two main factors to determine how much could be available to you:
Your property value: The higher the value, the higher the calculation could potentially be. The minimum property value to be eligible for equity release is £70,000.
The age of the youngest applicant: If you’re applying as a couple, the amount of equity you can release will be calculated on the youngest applicant. To qualify, both of you must be aged 55 or over.
If you want to know more about the eligibility criteria, our team of experts are always on hand. Should you wish to book an appointment, they’ll be able to arrange a time for you to speak to an adviser who will chat you through the options that are available.
During this initial call, they’ll be able to check whether you’re eligible for equity release or not, and if you are, discuss the plans and answer the questions you may have.
If you’ve used our free equity release calculator and think that a plan could be for you, choosing the features that matter most to you will help determine which is best for your needs. All of the plans on offer will meet the Equity Release Council standards, which means they come with a ‘no negative equity’ guarantee. This means you can’t pass on any debt through equity release to your beneficiaries.
Lifetime mortgages: These are the most popular type of equity release. A lifetime mortgage is a loan secured against your home which allows you to access tax-free funds, while retaining full ownership of your home.
Home reversion: This involves you selling part or all of your property to a provider in exchange for a tax-free lump sum. You’ll live in your home rent-free for as long as you choose, but you will no longer be the legal owner.
Your equity release adviser will talk you through the different options, as well as any additional benefits you could include such as inheritance protection and downsizing protection.
A lifetime mortgage is a loan secured against your home.
Typically there are no monthly repayments to make as the loan plus roll up interest is repaid when the plan comes to an end.
Equity release will reduce the value of your estate and may affect your entitlement to means tested benefits.
Unless you decide to go ahead, our service is completely free of charge as our fixed advice fee of £1,499 is only payable on completion of a plan.