Canada Life equity release – lifetime mortgage review 2024
*Updated April 2024*
Latest Canada Life lifetime mortgage interest rates
Rates correct at 3rd April 2024. 5.37% MER deal through Age Partnership when you use our equity release calculator.
Who is Canada Life?
This Canada Life equity release review is part of our series of reviews designed to help you compare the plans on offer from many of the UK’s leading providers and decide which one may be right for you.
Canada Life is the UK-based division of Great-West Lifeco, an international insurance and investment management firm with branches in the United States, Canada, Ireland and Germany. They have 3.5 million customers and handle over £40 billion of equities, fixed income, and property.
In 2022, Canada Life received numerous awards, including the MoneyAge Awards ‘Equity Release Lender of the Year’ and the Equity Release Awards for the best underwriter, best service provider, best adviser support and training and development.
Is Canada Life a member of the Equity Release Council?
Yes, Canada Life is a member of the Equity Release Council, so their lifetime mortgage customers are protected by its rules and guiding principles.
What type of equity release does Canada Life offer?
Canada Life offers three different types of lifetime mortgage, which are only available through a financial adviser such as Age Partnership:
- Capital Select lifetime mortgage: you receive a one-off, tax-free cash payment with the option of 3% cashback and adding a cash reserve to access later. You can choose to pay back up to 10% each year, with no penalties if you don’t make repayments.
- Lifestyle Select lifetime mortgage: you receive a single, tax-free cash payment with the flexibility to repay up to 10% of the initial loan amount each year. You can also add a cash reserve to access further down the line.
- Second home lifetime mortgages: allowing you to release equity from a UK property you own that is not your main residence. You receive a tax-free cash lump sum with options to borrow more at a later date. Canada Life also offer a free valuation and no affordability checks with this lifetime mortgage.
Features of Canada Life equity release
- You will retain ownership of your home and will continue to be responsible for maintaining it
- The interest rate on your mortgage will remain fixed. The same applies to any additional borrowing, however, the rate may be different from that of your mortgage, as it is set when you apply
- If you move house, your mortgage may be able to move with you provided it meets Canada Life’s suitability criteria
- The no negative equity guarantee means that your beneficiaries will not be asked to make up the shortfall in value, should the sale of your home not be enough to repay the loan
Features of the Capital Select and Lifestyle Select lifetime mortgages
Canada Life equity release eligibility criteria
In order to apply for the Capital Select or Lifestyle Select lifetime mortgages, you will need to meet the following requirements:
- You must be aged 55 or older
- You must be a UK resident
- You must own the property and it must be in England, Scotland or Wales
- It must be your main residence
Canada Life second home lifetime mortgage criteria
To be eligible for a Canada Life second home lifetime mortgage, you will also need to comply with the following:
- As the owner, the property must be available for you to use
- The property must be used by the owner for a minimum of four weeks per year
- If the property is ever let-out, it can only be for four weeks at a time maximum
Canada Life has further requirements surrounding whether the property is advertised and if any formal agreements are in place.
Next steps
For free, expert advice speak to an adviser at Age Partnership, the independent retirement specialists. They can explain the finer points of Canada Life’s range of lifetime mortgages as well as the plans available from many other leading UK providers.
Or, try our free equity release calculator to instantly see how much cash you could unlock from your home.
Before deciding whether equity release is right for you, make sure you understand the what you are committing to and weigh up the alternatives to equity release. Always get financial advice from a suitably qualified professional and discuss your plans with your loved ones.
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