By Warren Bleechmore, Principal Consultant at Finova
Equity release is not a short-term transaction. It’s a relationship that can last decades, often evolving as a customer’s circumstances change over time. In a market shaped by long-term outcomes, regulatory scrutiny and growing expectations around service, how well systems connect behind the scenes matters more than ever.
Yet much of the equity release ecosystem still operates in silos. Brokers, lenders, sourcing platforms and servicing teams often rely on disconnected systems, manual workarounds and duplicated data. As products and customer needs become more complex, those inefficiencies are harder to ignore.
This is where APIs – application programming interfaces – come into their own.
Turning fragmented systems into joined-up journeys
At a practical level, APIs enable secure, real-time communication between systems. Instead of data being rekeyed, emailed or uploaded multiple times, information can flow automatically between platforms.
Applied effectively, this has the potential to reshape the equity release journey end to end. From advice and application through to servicing and ongoing engagement, APIs can help remove friction and introduce greater transparency for both advisers and customers.
For brokers, one immediate benefit is visibility. Real-time status updates from lender systems could feed directly back into broker CRMs, reducing the need for follow-up calls and manual chasing. Customers benefit too, receiving clearer and more timely updates on their application progress.
Connectivity also opens the door to more proactive servicing. Servicing platforms hold valuable information about life events and changes in circumstances. With the right integrations in place, those signals could prompt timely alerts within a broker’s system – supporting ongoing suitability checks, further borrowing conversations or engagement when a customer’s needs shift.
Less admin, better outcomes
Another clear advantage of greater integration is the reduction in repetitive administration. Today, advisers are often required to input the same information across multiple systems or manually transfer documents between platforms.
APIs can remove much of that duplication. Data captured once can be reused throughout the process, improving speed, reducing errors and freeing up advisers to focus on advice rather than administration. For customers, this translates into smoother journeys and faster decisions at what can already be a sensitive and emotional time.
What needs to change to unlock the benefits
While the case for connectivity is compelling, making it a reality requires coordinated effort across the industry.
Data consistency is a key consideration. Lenders and platforms capture information in different ways, and without shared standards, integration becomes harder than it needs to be. Agreeing common frameworks will be critical to scaling API-driven connectivity.
There’s also a question of focus. Not every integration delivers the same value, and industry participants need to prioritise the use cases that will have the greatest impact on adviser experience and customer outcomes.
Investment is another factor. Building and maintaining APIs requires upfront cost, particularly for organisations operating legacy infrastructure. However, the long-term gains in efficiency, service quality and scalability make a strong case for action.
Finally, data privacy and consent must remain central. Secure, permission-based data sharing is essential – but regulatory considerations should be seen as design challenges to solve, not reasons to stand still.
A more connected future for equity release
The direction of travel is clear. A more connected equity release ecosystem benefits everyone involved. Brokers gain better visibility and tools to support long-term advice. Lenders and servicers improve operational efficiency and responsiveness. Most importantly, customers experience clearer communication and more joined-up support over the lifetime of their loan.
APIs are not a silver bullet, but they are a critical enabler. Combined with collaboration, shared standards and a willingness to modernise, they can help the equity release market move from fragmented processes to genuinely connected journeys.
Done well, greater connectivity doesn’t just improve efficiency – it strengthens trust, supports better advice and ensures the market is built around the evolving needs of customers, not the limitations of legacy systems.
