Recent figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that a significant gap in private pension wealth between men and women in the UK remains. By their late 50s, women’s average private pension wealth is estimated to be around 48% lower than men’s, widening to around 62% when those with no pension savings are included.
A range of factors contribute to this difference, including career breaks for caring responsibilities, higher rates of part-time work, differences in pay, and longer life expectancy. These structural patterns can affect pension contributions and investment growth over the course of a working life, ultimately shaping retirement outcomes.
As International Women’s Day approaches, the gender pensions gap remains an important part of the wider conversation around financial security and long-term planning.
Read the full feature here.
Editor’s Notes
Published in The Herald Business HQ 5th March 2026.
Acumen Financial Planning Ltd is authorised and regulated by the FCA, FRN 218745. The content within this article is the opinion of Euan McKirdy, Associate Financial Planner and should not be regarded as advice. A pension is a long-term investment. The fund value may fluctuate and can go down as well as up.