Mr Wood, Farnham

The value of my home has gone up by almost 20 percent since we fixed the value, I feel as though I have lost nothing".

Many people use the Home & Capital home reversion plan to travel, pay for nursing care or carry out much-needed repairs on their home, but widower Ken Wood used equity release to rescue a vintage locomotive for the Old Kiln Railway which is attached to Farnham's Rural Life Centre.

Mr Wood is an active and passionate supporter of the Rural Life Centre and the Home & Capital home reversion plan had the flexibility to meet all his objectives by releasing 20% of the equity in his Surrey home.

The money released from his property has enabled him to make a real contribution to the museum's collection, while reducing his chances of paying inheritance tax. At the same time, it still leaves a substantial proportion of the value of his home for his legatees.

"Anyone with a house in the south of England , these days, is likely to end up paying inheritance tax. Equity release gave me a way of unloading some of the value," says Mr Wood. "I certainly don't mind paying tax while I'm still around, but when I go, I want my money used how I choose and not how the Government chooses."

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