The Equity Release Council has announced the launch of Safe Steps, a new cross-sector vulnerability guidance hub for the later life lending sector.
Safe Steps equips firms across the later life lending market with practical tools and shared insights to respond to customer vulnerability with empathy, clarity, and care.
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.
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.
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.
“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.”
Stephanie Charman, chief executive of the 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.”
