Names and identifying details in this case study have been changed to protect client privacy.
One of the most rewarding cases I’ve worked on recently began with a referral from a financial adviser. His client , let’s call him John , was 78, lived in a £2 million home in Barnet, and wanted to help his only daughter, Claire, who was 32, buy a property.
The complication was one many asset-rich, cash-poor retirees will recognise: John had very little income and no meaningful savings. His wealth was almost entirely tied up in his home.
The Situation:
Claire was the sole beneficiary of John’s estate. Like many younger buyers across London, she was struggling to get onto the property ladder despite working hard and earning a reasonable income.
John wanted to help sooner rather than later. He liked the idea of seeing his daughter actually benefit from the money during his lifetime , settling into her own home while he was still around to enjoy that moment with her.
Waiting for the inheritance to pass on in the conventional way could mean Claire would be in her 50s before she saw any benefit, by which point the help might matter far less.
The challenge was straightforward in theory, but difficult in practice:
How do you help your child financially when your wealth isn’t liquid?
The Challenge:
On paper, John’s options were limited:
1.Sell up and downsize:
He didn’t want to leave the family home. It held decades of memories, and after more than 30 years in the same neighbourhood, he had no desire to move.
2.Take out a traditional residential mortgage:
Given his low income, John did not want the burden of regular monthly repayments.
3. Do nothing and wait:
Maintain the status quo and allow Claire to inherit in due course.
None of these options reflected what John actually wanted. His financial adviser therefore referred him to me to explore whether equity release could provide a suitable solution.
The Solution:
After reviewing his circumstances in detail , including his health, property, and both his and Claire’s longer-term plans, we arranged a lifetime mortgage that released £500,000 from his £2 million home.
This represented a 25% loan-to-value, well within typical lending parameters for someone of his age and property value, and deliberately conservative rather than the maximum available.
John then gifted the £500,000 to Claire, enabling her to purchase a home of her own.
The Outcome:
For John, the benefits were significant in several ways:
He saw his daughter benefit during his lifetime
This was the part that mattered most to him. He attended the housewarming, appears in the photographs, and will watch Claire build her life in the property. That experience simply isn’t possible when wealth is passed on decades later through inheritance.
The lifetime mortgage reduced the taxable value of his estate
Because the borrowing created a debt against his £2 million estate, it reduced its net value for inheritance tax purposes , an important consideration given the size of the estate.
The gift may fall outside his estate for inheritance tax purposes
If John survives seven years from the date of the gift, the £500,000 may qualify as a Potentially Exempt Transfer (PET). Taper relief may also apply between years three and seven.
In short, John was able to help his daughter materially, see the difference it made, and structure his estate more efficiently all using wealth he already had tied up in his property.
What This Case Illustrates:
This is a pattern I see regularly.
Older homeowners in Barnet, North London, and across the UK are often sitting on substantial property wealth accumulated over decades, while their adult children struggle to buy homes at today’s prices.
Equity release is not the right solution for every family. However, for clients like John, it can transform dormant property wealth into something genuinely useful on their own terms and at a time when it can make the greatest difference.
Could Equity Release Work for You?
If you’re a homeowner in Barnet, North London, or elsewhere in the UK and are wondering whether equity release could help you or your family, I’d be happy to talk things through.
The right solution depends entirely on the individual: their age, health, property, family circumstances, estate planning considerations, and most importantly what they actually want the money to achieve.
That’s not something that can be properly assessed from a leaflet or comparison table. It requires a proper conversation.
Call me, Roshan Percy, on 07543 169733 for a free initial consultation.
I’m a member of the Equity Release Council, fully qualified, and highly experienced in lifetime mortgages and later-life lending. Every recommendation I make is based on the client’s specific circumstances , never a one-size-fits-all approach.