Later life lending platform, Air Club, has announced that Air Academy is now free to access for all members, removing cost barriers to adviser education and helping to raise standards across the sector.
From on-demand masterclasses, podcasts and technical training to marketing support, specialist programmes, live webinars, events and summit content, the Academy is designed to support adviser development at every stage.
Air is a trusted partner of London Institute of Banking & Finance (LIBF) which underpins Air’s adviser accreditation for later life lending, a 10-module, LIBF-accredited programme offering 24 hours of structured CPD.
Covering the later life lending process, product types, vulnerability, affordability and soft skills, the accreditation is designed to help advisers have better client conversations, widen their expertise and ensure good consumer outcomes.
Upon completion of the learning, members gain 'professional status', receiving a digital badge, which is also now free to all Air members.
The move comes amid a wider backdrop where the place of later life lending in retirement planning is in focus, with the FCA’s Emad Aladhal simultaneously positioning the sector as the fourth pillar of retirement while highlighting the work to be done to reach its full potential and the importance of considering it across all advice streams.
Will Hale CEO of Air, said: “Later life lending is moving from niche to norm with the FCA recognising that ‘housing wealth’ needs to be the ‘fourth pillar’ of retirement planning.
“However, awareness of later life lending options remains poor among mainstream mortgage advisers and wealth managers/IFAs with distribution silos resulting in the failure for all products being considered for many older customers. Confidence to have comprehensive conversations with customers around their housing wealth and how it can support their wants and needs in later life starts with knowledge, and by making the Air Academy free to access we hope that we’re removing one barrier that may stop some advisers engaging properly with this important sector.
“Air is committed to supporting safe growth in the later life lending market and making the Academy free to access is a clear indication of our determination to break down distribution silos and to continue to help advisers raise the bar on customer outcomes.”
LIBF’s John Somerville added: “Making Air Academy free to access is a strong step forward for adviser development and the wider later life lending sector. As a trusted partner of LIBF, Air has shown a clear commitment to raising standards through high-quality learning, and removing the cost barrier gives existing members greater opportunity to build and evidence their expertise, while helping more advisers develop the confidence to engage with this growing market. Such initiatives are crucial for the ongoing growth of the sector, and it’s great to see Air leading the charge when it comes to enhancing adviser knowledge, and by extension improving consumer outcomes.”
