ERC Report 2025 Commentary from ERG
27 January 2026
Mark Gregory, Founder and CEO of Equity Release Group.
The Equity Release Council’s latest figures reflect what we’ve also been seeing on the ground for a while now and that is that demand in this market isn’t fading but evolving. In 2025, Equity Release Supermarket delivered a 16% uplift in completed cases year on year, showcasing that demand is being driven by structural change rather than short-term market conditions, hence there is a real underlying need for equity release.
More people today are reaching later life still carrying mortgage debt, often on fixed or reduced incomes, and trying to make their money last longer. When you combine that with longer life expectancy and the slow demise of defined benefit pensions, it’s no surprise that homeowners are starting to look at their property wealth alongside pensions and savings, not instead of them.
However, growth alone is not the only story here. What’s evolved the most is how people want to access advice. Growth hasn’t come from pushing a single product or relying on one route to market. It’s come from giving people more choice in how they engage, the personalisation, the choice and supporting that with best-in-class advice and clear consumer duty safeguards.
That’s what we’ve seen reflected in our channel mix - consumers are now accessing and researching products in a variety of ways. smartER™ now accounts for almost a fifth of our business, and by expanding partnerships with organisations such as StepChange, we’ve been able to reach a broader audience, including customers who may not previously have realised this was an option.
We know digital engagement works but only when it’s paired with quality advice, clear suitability, and the kind of robust assessments that protect customers and support good outcomes.
As demand broadens in 2026, at Equity Release Supermarket, we expect more customers to arrive better informed and more comparison-led, which will reward firms that communicate clearly, set expectations early, and keep the process straightforward from first enquiry to completion.
