Think tank suggests govt offers free financial advice MOT at 50

clock

Britons should be offered taxpayer-funded "financial MOTs" when they reach 50 to make sure they are prepared for retirement, a think tank has said.

The suggestion has been put forward in a paper on equity release by The Smith Institute, which has also called on the government to pledge its support to the equity release market so pensioners can use the value of their homes to meet expensive care costs, according to the Daily Mail. It argues that low-income workers approaching retirement are not used to paying for financial advice, so the government should step in to offer it to them. Paul Hackett, co-author of the paper, said: "Future generations of low income retired homeowners will increasingly struggle to meet the costs of repa...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Your profession

News editor's view: Let's give it up for the small advice firms

News editor's view: Let's give it up for the small advice firms

The news editor's Friday Night Takeaway from 22 May

Isabel Baxter
clock 22 May 2026 • 4 min read
Women more likely to seek professional financial advice – research

Women more likely to seek professional financial advice – research

Twenty percent of women likely to seek advice

Sophia Panayi
clock 22 May 2026 • 2 min read
The expectation gap: Why suitable advice can still fail the client

The expectation gap: Why suitable advice can still fail the client

'The industry is moving from suitability, to understanding and now to expectation management'

Elly Dowding and Lee Coates
clock 22 May 2026 • 4 min read