
When Mary and Chris reached retirement, they thought they would have to sell their home as they had an interest-only mortgage with no repayment plan in place. They only had a year left before they had to repay their lender, meaning they could be forced to sell up the house they loved and move to a smaller property or even start renting.
A friend suggested that they speak to an Equity Release advisor as they had been helped out of a similar situation, so they went ahead and booked a free consultation with a qualified advisor who was a member of the Equity Release Council.

As they had no savings to fall back on, Chris and Mary asked if they could also release some additional funds so they could have some money to enjoy themselves in retirement. They were worried about the rising costs of living so also wanted to have some money left over to help with day-to-day expenses and for any emergencies that might crop up such as needing a new boiler or car.

Always consult an advisor who has access to the whole market
They were pleasantly surprised when, after searching the whole market, their advisor told them that not only could they pay back their current lender but that they could also release a sizeable tax free lump sum for themselves. Their application was very straightforward and within a matter of weeks they could finally sleep soundly without worrying what the future might hold, safe in the knowledge they could stay in their beloved home as long as they wanted to.
After booking and paying for their dream tour of Europe, Chris and Mary still had a nice lump sum in the bank. As well as solving their financial worries they now have peace of mind knowing that they don’t need to rely on their modest pensions to pay for any future repairs or unexpected costs.
If you own and live in your own property and all owners are aged 55 or over then you may qualify for Equity Release.
It is estimated there are currently 1.7million homeowners in the UK on interest only with no repayment plan in place. If you are one of these people then Equity Release may be the answer for you.
If you need a new car, need to carry out home improvements, want to take that dream cruise or holiday then Equity Release could allow you to access the money locked up in your home.
Do you want to help your children get on the property ladder themselves? Equity Release can allow you to unlock the value in your home so you can give them an early inheritance while you are still around to see them enjoy it.
These are just a few examples of what you might use Equity Release for, but it is by no means an exhaustive list. You can use the money for any legal purpose you like so feel free to add to the list.
Cornerstone Mortgages Ltd have helped hundreds of clients over the years and are experts in Equity Release. We are a member of the Equity Release Council and deal with all the major providers in the market.
We are currently offering free consultations so if you would like to find out how much you can release use the link below to request your free whole of market quote with no obligation.
Copyright © 2026 | Cornerstone Mortgages Limited is an Appointed Representative of MGI Network Ltd, 27 Bridge Street, Usk, Monmouthshire, NP15 1BQ. Their Financial Services Register Number is 697649. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.