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: 40s are the new 50s - a move in the right direction? 

News editor's view: 40s are the new 50s - a move in the right direction? 

The news editor's Friday Night Takeaway from 1 May

Isabel Baxter
clock 01 May 2026 • 3 min read
Feel Good Friday: FOS chooses Dementia UK as charity partner

Feel Good Friday: FOS chooses Dementia UK as charity partner

Will support Dementia UK over the next two years

Professional Adviser
clock 01 May 2026 • 1 min read
Why 50:50 parenting doesn't necessarily mean no child maintenance

Why 50:50 parenting doesn't necessarily mean no child maintenance

'In many cases, one parent will meet a greater share of the children’s financial needs'

Clizia Motterle
clock 01 May 2026 • 4 min read