Useful Contacts

This pages gives some useful contacts and information when considering Equity Release Schemes

(Call rates may vary)

Age Concern

For free factsheets:

Freepost (SWB 30375)
Ashburton
Devon
TQ13 7ZZ

Tel: 0800 00 99 66 (freephone)
Website: www.ace.org.uk

Factsheet 12 Raising income or capital from your home
Factsheet 13 Older homeowners – financial help with repairs and adaptations

Entitledto

Entitledto is an information service which provides free web-based calculators to help you work out your entitlement to benefits and tax credits:

Website: www.entitledto.co.uk

Financial Services Authority

The FSA publishes the following free guides:

Just the facts about equity release schemes - Get this from this website

FSA factsheet: Paying for long-term care
FSA guide to pensions 3: Annuities and income withdrawal
FSA guide to financial advice
FSA guide to making a complaint about financial services

To get copies call the FSA Consumer Helpline: 0845 606 1234 – or visit the FSA Consumer website: www.fsa.gov.uk/consumer

To find out whether a firm is authorised, follow the link on the Consumer website to the Firm Check Service.

Help the Aged

For advice about entitlement to state benefits and free information sheets:

207–221 Pentonville Road
London
N1 9UZ

Tel: 020 7278 1114
SeniorLine: 0808 800 6565 (freephone)
Website: www.helptheaged.org.uk

Information sheet 21: Equity release plans

Charities

Charities may be a source of financial help with unexpected expenses. Counsel and Care may be able to suggest suitable charities – see below or contact your local council for information about local charities.

Counsel and Care

For advice about entitlement to State benefits and charities that can give financial help with unexpected expenses:

Twyman House
16 Bonny Street
London
NW1 9PG

Tel: 0845 300 7585
Email: advice@counselandcare.org.uk
Website: www.counselandcare.org.uk

Local authority or local council

For information about council tax benefit, home repair and improvement assistance and local charities that might be able to help:

See the local phone book under the name of your council or get contact details from your local public library.

Warm Front Plus

Offers grants for people aged 60 or more and on a low income, or disabled, to insulate their home or to install energy-efficient central heating.

Tel: 0800 952 0600

Home Improvement Agencies (HIA)

For help arranging home improvements and advice on financial help available. To find your local HIA:

England

Foundations
Bleaklow House, Howard Town Mill
Glossop, Derbyshire SK13 8HT

Tel: 01457 891 909
Website: www.foundations.uk.com

Scotland

Care and Repair Forum Scotland
236 Clyde Street, Glasgow G1 4JH

Tel: 0141 221 9879
Website: www.care-repair-scot.org.uk

Wales

Care and Repair Cymru
Norbury House, Norbury Road
Fairwater, Cardiff CF5 3AS

Tel: 029 2057 6286
Website: www.careandrepair.org.uk

Northern Ireland

Fold House
3 Redburn Square, Hollywood
Co Down BT18 9HZ

Tel: 02890 428314
Website: www.foldgroup.co.uk

The Home Improvement Trust

A not-for-profit organisation, arranges equity release schemes specifically to fund repairs, improvements or adaptations to your home.

Freephone: 0800 783 7569
Website: www.improvementtrust.fsbusiness.co.uk

Citizens Advice Bureau

For help sorting out debt problems and advice on State benefits:

Look in the local telephone directory under ‘Citizens Advice Bureau’.

Websites: www.citizensadvice.org.uk and www.adviceguide.org.uk

Money advice agencies

For help sorting out debt problems:

Consumer Credit Counselling Service

Wade House
Merrion Centre, Leeds LS2 8NG

Tel: 0800 138 1111
Website: www.cccs.co.uk

National Debtline

Tel: 0808 808 4000 (freephone)

Website: www.nationaldebtline.co.uk

Debt-Challenger

Tel: 07970 625429

www.debt-challenger.com

Community Legal Service (CLS)

Directory Line: 0845 608 1122

Website: www.clsdirect.org.uk

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

For information about State benefits:

Benefit Enquiry Line

Tel: 0800 88 22 00
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk

For information about Pension Credit:

The Pension Service

Tel: 0800 991234
Textphone: 0800 169 0133
Website: www.thepensionservice.gov.uk

HM Revenue and Customs

For information about tax:

From your local tax office or any HM Revenue and Customs Enquiry Centre

Orderline: 0845 9000 404
Website: www.hmrc.gov.uk

Booklet IR121 Income tax and pensioners

Safe Home Income Plans (SHIP)

Some equity release providers belong to this organisation. All schemes offered by SHIP members offer a no-negative-equity guarantee.

PO Box 516
Preston Central
PR2 2XQ

Tel: 0870 241 6060
Email: info@ship-ltd.org
Website: www.ship-ltd.org

Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML)

The trade association for mortgage lenders.

3 Savile Row
London
W1S 3PB

Tel: 020 7437 0075
Website: www.cml.org.uk

Complaints about lifetime mortgages and reversion plans

First you should contact the firm that sold you the lifetime mortgage. If you are not satisfied after this stage, you should contact the Financial Ombudsman Service:

Financial Ombudsman Service
South Quay Plaza
183 Marsh Wall
London
E14 9SR

Tel: 0845 080 1800
Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk