STARMER ACCUSED OF PILING PRESSURE ON POLICE

As cornered Labour leader vows he will quit if fined, MPs say it’s a cynical ploy to influence outcome of investigation

KEIR Starmer was accused of putting ‘deeply inappropriate’ pressure on Beergate police last night.

In a high-stakes gamble, the Labour leader said he would ‘do the right thing and step down’ if Durham Constabulary fined him over his lockdown beer with aides.

But his opponents said this had placed detectives in the difficult position of knowing their decisions could decapitate the official opposition and leave Labour looking for new leadership.

Sir Keir’s deputy, Angela Rayner, also said she would quit if she was fined over her role in the ‘Beergate’ event in Durham on April 30 last year when all indoor socialising was banned.

After a day of crisis meetings

Downsizing to a smaller home is one option to consider, as it can often mean lower running costs. Cutting back on spending is also something that lots of people are currently doing to give more control of their finances.

However, during the first three months of the year, an increasing number of people also turned to equity release to access the money that they were looking for.

Make your retirement more comfortable

Equity release is often used to plug a gap for people who might have a shortfall in their pension savings as they approach, or are already enjoying, their retirement.

The money that you release is tax free, which means that you get more cash in your pocket.

You don't have to make monthly repayments, as the money you release, plus accrued interest will be repaid when you pass away or move into long-term care.

However, it’s important to note that equity release won’t be the right solution for everyone and a specialist adviser should discuss alternative options with you.

For most of us, our homes are our most valuable asset, and if you’ve owned it for a number of years, it’s likely to have increased in value and could mean you are sitting on a chunk of equity. Equity release may involve a home reversion or a lifetime mortgage, which is secured against your property. A specialist adviser will help you understand the different features of the plans and risks involved by preparing you a personalised illustration. The most popular form of equity release, a lifetime mortgage, also allows you to continue to own 100 per cent of your home.

The amount of money that you can access is determined by the age of the youngest homeowner and the value of your property, meaning you need to be at least 55 years old to consider equity release and your property must be worth at least £70,000.

You will need to pay off any existing mortgage that you may have, but you can use some of the money you release to do this.

Boost your retirement income and live the life you deserve

According to figures from the UK’s No1* equity release broker, Age Partnership, in 2021, more than 35 per cent of their customers use equity release to pay off their standard mortgage; freeing up money that would have otherwise gone on monthly repayments, to give them the retirement they deserve.