The Later Life Academy (LLA) and the Equity Release Council have launched a series of events in 2019 entitled, ‘Later Life Lending – The Big Picture’.

The events – a joint project between the LLA and the Council – have been designed to drive forward adviser knowledge in the later life lending space, and break away from the product silos currently available in order to deliver ‘consumer centric’ outcomes, and help firms develop and make the most of their later life lending advice propositions.

There will be eight regional events in the first half of 2019, run by the AiR Group ‘Learning Hub’ team. They will take place in Gloucester (21st January), Plymouth (4th February), London (5th March), Manchester (26th March), Cambridge (30th April), the Midlands (21st May), Southampton (3rd June) and Bristol (18th June).

Topics to be covered at the events include:

• Retirement Interest-Only (RIO) mortgages/equity release/residential mortgages
• The importance of estate planning and LPAs
• The impacts on advice of Pension Freedoms
• Vulnerable clients and the considerations to be taken
• Marketing
• Best practice and compliance
• Introducing case studies and an online test for participants to complete

All events will also have a range of providers attending in order to discuss the variety of product options available in the later life space, with the entire day accredited under the National Skills Academy for Financial Services programme.

CPD and 500 Unity Reward Points will be issued to each attendee. Unity Rewards is a free rewards scheme that allows advisers to accumulate rewards points for any engagement with AIR Group’s services. Points can be converted to cash, special deals or charity donations.

The cost of the day – which runs from 10am to 3.30pm – is £40, which includes both lunch and refreshments.

Stuart Wilson, group CEO of Answers in Retirement, said: “We are working closely with the Equity Release Council, and all later life lending providers, to deliver this series of events to join up the dots on ensuring a ‘consumer centric’ outcome across the market. For borrowers over-50 there is now a vast range of product choices and a robust, well-trained advice process is vital so we move away from product silos. If you are an adviser dealing with older borrowers this is an incredibly fast-moving sector and will continue to be so, but we must ensure advisers see the big picture to include the issues that are specific to this sector.

“This event will position advisers strongly to expand their later life lending business, and will include sections on marketing and business development. We are delighted at the enthusiasm we have had from providers across the product spectrum because they can see the importance of bringing together all the elements needed by advisers. We have only limited spaces at each event so we strongly recommend early booking to secure your place. We will also be revealing details of an exciting new initiative at these events that will further enhance each advisers’ earning potential.”

Donna Bathgate, chief operating officer of the Equity Release Council, said: “The retirement landscape is becoming significantly more complex. Whilst many of the changes are beneficial for consumers, such as more product options, we must ensure that the guidance and advice they receive enables them to navigate the numerous choices they are faced with. We’re delighted to be partnering with the Later Life Academy again to further strengthen the capabilities of the later life adviser market to meet this challenge.

“High standards of advice are fundamental to creating both a safe equity release and wider retirement finance market that can deliver successful outcomes for consumers. Combining The Council’s Standards and the LLA’s accredited training we can support the adviser market to become fully cognisant of the options available to consumers and give them the ability to adapt to changing consumer needs.”