Equity Release Council members have re-elected Will Hale, Paul Turner and Dan Baines to the executive board for a further two years.

Key’s chief executive Hale, Just Group managing director of retail Paul Turner and Equity Release Associates managing director Dan Bains will remain alongside the 13 other main board members who are still part way through their current terms. 

The Council has also appointed Answers in Retirement chief executive Stuart Wilson to its standards board, as well as James Ginley who is about to join e.surv as technical director in May.

The Council’s membership increased by 24% in the last financial year with the 600th member firm joining this month. 

It recently introduced an endorsement badge for members and launched two expert committees: the Funders Forum and the Legal Forum, to support its work to maintain a safe and sustainable market.

Equity Release Council chairman David Burrowes says: “The Council has worked hard with members over the last year to progress important initiatives to support robust and consistent standards in the market, including launching a new competency framework to support adviser development. 

“The ability to bring together perspectives from across the sector has been vital to maintaining consumer safeguards in an unprecedented operating environment. 

“I look forward to working with our returning directors and the wider board to champion the role of property wealth and flexible home finance as a mainstay of later life planning.

“The expansion of the standards board will help to ensure our consumer-focused standards continue to evolve and set out best practice across all participants in the equity release process. 

“We are passionate about broadening sector representation as we strive to provide the highest level of consumer protection for any property-based loan in later life.”