Press releases

Legal & General launches enhanced ‘Ignite’ platform for advisers

Legal & General has today announced the launch of its refreshed leading mortgage research and sourcing platform, Legal & General Ignite, which will build on existing offerings to deliver a raft of new features to advisers.

4 Jul 2023


Full press release

  • The enhanced Legal & General Ignite platform builds on the functionality of the old 'SmartrFit’ tool with a raft of new features
  • Advisers can access the platform’s 130 lenders seamlessly and with no cost

The upgraded platform will replace Legal & General’s SmartrFit tool, mirroring the company’s mission to ignite change towards an efficient, technology-led mortgage journey for brokers and their clients.

Legal & General Ignite offers advisers a whole of market comparison service with access to 130 lenders. Advisers will also have access to second charge and bridging lending types, as well as packager, product transfer, and direct product information. In addition, the platform will continue to provide advisers with integrated affordability calculators, client criteria, product sourcing and property checking functionality for free, via an all-in-one interface.

These additional features will broaden the range of quality data accessible by advisers using the platform and ensure that all users are able to compare products, affordability, and criteria, easily across the whole market. Advisers will still be able to download compliance documents including ESIS and Evidence of Research. The platform will also offer advisers the capability to seamlessly switch between search streams, saving time and effort.

Jodie White, Head of Mortgage Products & Transformation, Legal and General Mortgage Services: “The launch of Legal & General Ignite is an exciting step forward for us as a business, but also for our vision of a mortgage market that is fully technologically-integrated. The refreshed platform will expand advisers’ range of features beyond criteria and affordability, with additional product sourcing capabilities. On top of this, access to quality and up-to-date data will allow advisers to secure the best possible outcome for their customers.

This launch is about combining human expertise with the power of data and technology. But I’m hopeful this new platform will go beyond just saving advisers time or improving customer outcomes, to also be a part of how we transform the way the mortgage industry works.”

Richard Merrett, Director of Strategic Relationships, SimplyBiz Mortgages: “We’ve seen a great deal of digitalisation in the mortgage market over the last few years and the pandemic was a key catalyst for this. It’s vitally important for everyone involved that the industry doesn’t lose this momentum and continues to evolve and innovate. The mortgage market still has some way to go to match the efficiency and tech-adoption we’ve seen transform other types of customer journeys.

Legal & General Ignite is giving advisers the support they need to close this gap, including the ability to efficiently source products in a market which is moving at unprecedented speeds, we are very pleased to continue our partnership to ensure this technology is available to SimplyBiz member firms. In addition, the financial pressures on advisers and their customers, mean that this could not have come at a better time. Advisers need to have access to the right tools to keep up with the market and ultimately deliver for their customers.”

Further information

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Claire Byrd

Senior PR Manager

Legal & General Retail

Notes to editors

Established in 1836, Legal & General is one of the UK’s leading financial services groups and a major global investor, with £1.2 trillion in total assets under management (as at FY23) of which c40% (circa £0.5 trillion) is international.

We have a highly synergistic business model, which continues to drive strong returns. We are a leading international player in Institutional Retirement, in Retail Savings and Protection, and in both public and private markets through our Asset Management division. Across the Group, we are committed to responsible investing and dedicated to serving the long-term savings and investment needs of customers and society.

As at 7 June 2024, we estimate the Group’s Solvency II coverage ratio to be 224%.

As at 11 June 2024, Legal & General has a market capitalisation of £14.6 billion.

Legal & General Retail helps create brighter financial futures for all our customers. The division covers the savings, protection and retirement needs of our c.14 million retail policyholders and workplace members.  

In 2023, we had total individual annuity sales of £1,431 million, and issued £299 million of Lifetime Mortgages and Retirement Interest Only Mortgages. Our Workplace pension platform served 5.2 million members, while our Protection businesses gave peace of mind to several million direct, group and US customers, taking in £1,991 million of UK and $1,584 million of US gross written premiums.