As there is not enough liquidity in the equity release market to support the high level of demand from consumers, SHIP plans to target and educate financiers on the growing demand for property wealth based retirement planning solutions.

Its aim is to develop an understanding of the way in which how financiers could help the market grow.

As part of the campaign, SHIP and law firm DWF, held a debate last week which brought equity release providers, financiers and interested stakeholders together to discuss this issue.

The debate concluded that the equity release market is misleadingly viewed as being too small to accommodate large players and too complex for smaller players. It also said there is a lack of understanding and clarity around the potential returns that funders could expect.

The products need some risk acceptance from the Government and the industry needs to look towards pension and annuity funds as a source of funding, the debate also decided.

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Andrea Rozario, director general of SHIP, said the debate helped to open the channels of communication and bring the issue of funding for equity release into the open.

She added: “In some financial services sectors, there is an outdated view about the viability and safety of equity release schemes. We encourage large financial institutions to review their stance on equity release, and consider how this asset class could fit into their investment strategy. In doing so, we hope to attract the inward investment that will enable the industry to fulfill its potential for growth