The Financial Conduct Authority will join advisers, lenders and industry figures in Bristol next month as the later life lending sector considers the implications of the regulator’s newly launched Later Life Mortgages Market Study.
Thomas Francis, manager of the FCA’s mortgage policy team and lead on its Mortgage Rule Review, is due to take part in a regulatory session at the Equity Release Council’s Later Life Lending Summit on 22 April.
The event, which is being delivered with the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries, is aimed at advisers already active in the market as well as those considering whether later life lending should form part of their future advice proposition.
Its timing follows the FCA’s publication of the study’s terms of reference, which set out a review of how the market is working for consumers.
The work will examine consumer understanding, advice quality, product suitability and fair value, and barriers to access and innovation.
The study will run through 2026 and is likely to sharpen focus on standards across a market that is taking on a larger role in retirement planning.
Organisers say the Bristol summit will look at how firms can respond in practice, with sessions covering economic conditions, product development and customer outcomes under the Council’s Safe Steps framework.
Discussions are also expected to focus on customers with more complex needs and those in vulnerable circumstances.
A broader theme of the day will be the increasing overlap between property wealth, pensions and other assets, and the case for a more joined-up approach to later life advice.
Jim Boyd, chief executive of the Equity Release Council, said: “The FCA’s market study is a significant and welcome moment for our sector.
“It reflects the growing importance of later life lending within the wider retirement landscape but also challenges us to continue raising standards.
“Our Bristol summit provides a timely and important opportunity for open and constructive dialogue with industry leaders, advisers and our regulator on how we deliver better consumer understanding, stronger advice and consistently good outcomes to support a growing later life market.”
The summit will also include sessions designed to reflect customer experiences and help firms identify potential areas of harm across the advice journey.
Stephanie Charman, chief executive of AMI, added: “Engaging directly with the FCA at this stage offers an invaluable opportunity to shape industry practice and raise standards across the market.
“As advisers guide customers through increasingly complex later life financial decisions, their role has never been more critical.
“Through this collaboration, we aim to provide practical tools, insight and confidence to ensure advisers can deliver consistently high-quality outcomes.”
The Bristol event forms part of a wider collaboration between the Equity Release Council and AMI as the sector seeks to support growth in later life lending while maintaining consumer protection and regulatory confidence.
