Partnership with SunLife and Carol Vorderman adds up for Age

The SunLife Over 55 Equity Release Service, which is being promoted by TV star, Carol Vorderman, is aimed at educating over 55s about the potential for, and benefits of equity release. Andrew Thirkill, executive chairman of Age Partnership, said: “With the rise in house prices over the last 20⁠-⁠years, a significant number of over 55s are now sitting on a large amount of property equity which they can release to enjoy in their retirement years.”

The anticipated uptake of the service, combined with the growth of our own over 50s offering, has led to us currently recruiting for 40 new positions – the majority of which are Leeds based, and cover a broad spectrum of roles including mortgage advisors, financial planners and customer focused phone based positions. In addition to the Leeds vacancies, we are also recruiting for 20 field⁠-⁠based equity release advisors in various locations throughout the UK.

“The potential for the new service, and the equity release market as a whole, is absolutely enormous,” continued Andrew. “This is reflected in the steps we have taken in recent months to ready ourselves for this projected market growth, which have included the doubling of our flagship office to 38,000sq. ft., and the plan to create 200 new jobs in 2018 alone.”

Dean Lamble, CEO of SunLife, commented: “We’ve conducted the biggest⁠-⁠ever research into life after 50, with 50,000 people, and we’ve found that today, life after 50 means taking up new hobbies, trying new experiences, starting up new businesses and really enjoying what are fast becoming seen as the best years of our lives.”

“Equity release can provide the necessary funds to turn these dreams and aspirations into reality, and SunLife’s Over 55 Equity Release Service is the perfect vehicle to use; boasting as it does our over 50s market expertise and Age’s standing as the UK’s largest single equity release broker. We really are proud of the service and to be joining forces with Age Partnership.”

SunLife’s focus on over 50s has led to substantial growth over the last three years, with the company successfully introducing a number of new over 50s products including home and motor insurance, savings, a funeral plan and now the equity release service.

Andrew Thirkill added: “We’re very excited to be partnering with the UK’s pre⁠-⁠eminent over 50s financial services brand and offer a whole⁠-⁠of⁠-⁠market equity release service to a wider audience. The later life lending market is experiencing rapid growth, and raising awareness of equity release as a fully regulated product with a lot to offer, is one of the fundamental aims of our partnership proposition.”

Carol Vorderman was chosen to be the face of SunLife’s Over 55s Equity Release Service campaign, as she was seen as the epitome of someone in their fifties who’s making the most of life, and who can show customers how the benefits of equity release, “can really add up”.

For further information about SunLife's equity release service please visit https://www.sunlife.co.uk/money/equity-release