The Equity Release Council (the Council) has today officially launched Safe Steps, a new cross-sector vulnerability guidance hub unveiled during a landmark plenary at the Later Life Lending Summit in Sheffield.

Safe Steps equips firms across the later life lending market with practical tools, shared insights, and confidence to respond to customer vulnerability with empathy, clarity, and care. It turns principles into practice, helping professionals identify, record, and respond to vulnerability effectively and consistently.

While created by the Council, the resource is being shared in collaboration with partners across the industry, including the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI), as part of a shared commitment to learning, and better outcomes for all customers.

Kelly Melville-Kelly, Director of Risk, Policy and Compliance at the Equity Release Council, said: “Every customer has a story. For some, later life lending is a positive step towards new opportunities; for others, it comes at a time of change or challenge.

“Safe Steps is about recognising those moments and responding with understanding and respect. Vulnerability isn’t a label. It’s a reminder that behind every decision is a person navigating their own circumstances. This new resource helps professionals replace anxiety with reassurance, confusion with clarity, and isolation with dignity.”

Through case studies, adviser prompts, and practical examples, Safe Steps promotes a culture of empathy and accountability while encouraging shared learning across the mortgage and later life lending markets.

Melville-Kelly added: “By embedding these approaches in our daily work, we can build deeper trust in later life lending and show that ours is a sector defined not only by products, but by people.

“When care, compassion, and fairness sit at the heart of what we do, better outcomes naturally follow, safer, stronger, and more sustainable for everyone.”

The launch of Safe Steps marks a key milestone in the Council’s mission to promote trusted, transparent, and thorough support for customers in later life.

Stephanie Charman, Chief Executive of the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI), added: “Supporting customers in vulnerable circumstances is a collective responsibility that builds on the industry’s ongoing efforts to promote awareness and education. By sharing Safe Steps with AMI members, we aim to raise awareness of vulnerability characteristics and suitable accommodations, while also providing firms with practical tools to engage more effectively with their customers.

“This will help ensure customers are well-informed and supported to make confident decisions and signposted (where appropriate) to additional resources.”

ENDS

To visit the Safe Steps hub, please click here.

Notes to editor

About Safe Steps

Safe Steps is the Equity Release Council’s new cross-sector vulnerability guidance hub. It is designed to help later life lending professionals identify and respond to customer vulnerability with empathy, clarity, and confidence. Developed by the Council, the resource is being shared in collaboration with partners across the sector, including the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI), to encourage consistent best practice and shared learning across the mortgage market.

About the Equity Release Council
The Equity Release Council is the representative trade body for the UK equity release market. Plans that meet the Council’s standards come with six product safeguards, including the no negative equity guarantee and the right to remain in the home for life. Since 1991, more than 950,000 homeowners have accessed £50bn of property wealth via Council members to support their finances.

More information:
Visit www.equityreleasecouncil.com
Email: [email protected]