OneFamily is to expand its equity release advice proposition, with a doubling of its team of advisers by the end of the first half of 2021.

It launched OneFamily Advice in 2018 and has seen rapid growth in applications since then. It is anticipating a further expansion of the team in 2022.

Five experienced advisers joined in January – Katie Wilkinson, Ellie Marner, Ian Williams, Joe Marchant and Peryush Patel and will be bringing five more onto the team in May.

Wilkinson joins OneFamily from Canada Life and has experience as a whole of market mortgage broker. Marner, Marchant and Patel have moved over from AGE Partnership and together bring over 25 years of experience within the sector, while Williams joins from KEY having had 17 years working in mortgages and equity release.

Matthew Ellis (pictured), head of OneFamily Advice, said: “Our business model is based on our experienced and friendly advisers offering honest and considered whole of market equity release advice remotely. So, when the pandemic hit last year, it was business pretty much as usual for us – whereas it took some competitors weeks to adjust.

“We’ve always felt that customers have been comfortable receiving advice over the phone and the last year has shown that we were definitely ahead of the curve.

“However, our service relies on the expertise and approachability of our people. Having a warm and friendly voice to speak to is essential for our customers and I’m proud to say that our new colleagues are already proving to be real assets to our team.”