The Equity Release Council has appointed Liz Barclay and Jim Dredge as standards board members.

Barclay is a well-known journalist, having presented the BBC Radio 4 consumer programme You and Yours- for a number of years. She is a non-executive director of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and the chair of the Camden Citizens Advice Bureau.

Dredge has over 30 years of experience in the financial services sector primarily gained with Lloyds TSB and the FSA and has also been involved in the promotion of financial education.

The pair will support the Chris Pond, the chair of the standards board, as he works to implement standards and consumer safeguards.

They will also be instrumental in developing the existing standards framework to better represent the expanded membership and then governing compliance with these standards.

Pond said: “Our standards and consumer safeguards are at the core of what the Council stands for so these appointments are excellent news for the equity release industry.

“Both of the appointees brings with them a wealth of valuable experience and I look forward to working closely with them to ensure that we provide our members and consumers with the guidance and support that they need.”