Pure Retirement reacts to Equity Release Council quarterly figures

27 January 2026

Paul Carter, CEO

“The latest figures from the Equity Release Council demonstrate the extent to which lifetime mortgages continue to fulfil the needs of over-55s. The rising average lump sum borrowing on both an annual and quarterly basis demonstrate the confidence new customers have in releasing the equity in their homes, while the increasing levels of people taking out further advances underlines how comfortable those who’ve already taken out equity release are in returning to release additional funds.

The quarterly increases in customer numbers are also positive, but the fact that 2025 as a whole saw a reduction on an annual basis points towards the work needed to ensure later life lending truly becomes a mainstream solution going forward, especially as Canada Life’s recent research has suggested that financial advisers are failing to mention equity release as an option in 93% of conversations with home owners about retirement. With lifetime mortgages clearly meeting a very real societal need among those utilising them, the latest Council figures should spur us on as a sector to ensure they’re part of widespread financial planning in 2026 and beyond.”