Standard Life Home Finance has become a member of the Equity Release Council (ERC).

This allows the lender to emblazon its products with the ERC endorsement mark, which it describes as, “a recognizable statement of quality and assurance for consumers.”

Standard Life Home finance launched its flexible equity release range in October last year, which offer rates from 3.28% as an annual percentage rate or from 3.06% as a monthly equivalent rate.

ERC chief executive Jim Boyd says: “The Standard Life Home Finance commitment to build its products around the council’s consumer protections is a clear sign of confidence in the market and the bedrock of standards that underpin it.

The fact that lifetime mortgages will sit alongside Standard Life’s pensions, investments and retirement products shows equity release is now a core consideration in later life financial planning.

And Standard Life Home Finance board member Scott Robertson adds: “We look forward to working closely with the team at the ERC as it leads the way in ensuring the very highest standards across the industry, and we are focused on playing our part in the ongoing development of this relationship.”