In the UK, women often retire with significantly less in their pension than men.

According to a UK study by the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP), on average, women aged 55 to 59 held just £81,000 in their pensions (as of 2020 to 2022). Meanwhile, men of the same age had an average of £156,000.

Known as the “gender pension gap”, this significant disparity in pension savings means many women may live less comfortably in retirement. Some women may have to continue working for longer to make up for their pension shortfall.

There are multiple reasons women’s pensions often fall behind their male counterparts’. But by taking action to boost your pension, you could help get your savings back on track to achieve your retirement goals.

Read on to discover why the gender pension gap exists and how you could close it.

The gender pay gap can limit women’s pension contributions

While the gender pay gap is shrinking, women still earn less on average than men.

In April 2025, the Office for National Statistics found that the gender pay gap for full-time employment had fallen to 6.9%, down from 7.1% the previous year.

The report found that the pay gap was largest for employees aged 40 and over. Not only does this age bracket face a larger pay disparity today, but they may have faced an even larger gap earlier in their careers.

Naturally, a lower income could mean you have less left over to save for retirement. What’s more, some employers may contribute a percentage of your salary to your pension. Consequently, women could lose out on employer contributions to their workplace pension if their salary is lower than men’s.

Women often miss contributions in early motherhood

Research by AJ Bell found that, in 2026, women’s pensions start falling behind close to age 28 – around the time many women have their first child.

Mothers often stop paying into their pensions during maternity leave, which can be up to a year for each child. They may also lose out on employer contributions.

According to Scottish Widows, 58% of women have taken a career break by the time they reach retirement, compared to 12% of men. Women are also 12 times more likely to take a career break specifically to raise children.

When their children are young, many women also work part-time as they balance earning and childcare. Reducing your working hours can make it difficult to grow your pension pot, with lower earnings resulting in you paying less – or nothing – into your pension.

Women are less likely to prioritise retirement saving early in their careers

AJ Bell’s research identified differing attitudes to retirement saving between men and women.

Men’s and women’s financial priorities are broadly aligned in their early 20s. However, just 8% of the 28-year-old women surveyed ranked retirement as a top priority, compared to 22% of men the same age.

At this age, women tend to focus more on short-term goals – such as buying a home and starting a family – while men are more likely to prioritise long-term goals like retirement planning.

Women generally start prioritising pension saving as much as men at around age 41. However, missing out on contributions early in their careers can make it difficult to close the gap.

Crucially, the size of your pension pot at retirement doesn’t only depend on how much you contribute; it also matters when you contribute. Because your pension funds are invested and grow with compound returns, contributing less when you’re younger often means your pot misses out on several years of growth.

Read more: Compound interest: How the “eighth wonder of the world” could boost your wealth

While all the above figures are based on UK research, the underlying issues around contribution gaps, career breaks, part-time work, and investment growth are relevant to many pension savers.

3 ways women can help keep their pensions on track

Saving for retirement can feel like an uphill battle, there are a few ways you can help keep your pension on track to achieve your retirement goals.

1. Start contributing as early as you can

The sooner you start contributing to your pension, the more time your fund will have to benefit from compound returns.

Aviva suggests that £10,000 paid into your pension at 25 could grow to £58,000 by 65. But if you waited until 35 to contribute the same amount, it would grow to just £37,000.

As such, it’s never too early to start boosting your pension. However, it’s also never too late. So, if you missed out on contributions earlier in your career, don’t be disheartened. By prioritising your pension now, you can still work towards your retirement goals.

2. Prioritise pension saving in your budget

Creating a comprehensive household budget can help you make the most of your earnings and set more aside for the future.

You’re no doubt juggling multiple financial priorities, but by making retirement saving a priority where possible, you can make meaningful progress towards your retirement goals.

Even small increases can have a big impact on your pension pot. Indeed, Which? suggests that increasing contributions by just £19.50 a month from age 22 could see your pot grow by a further £18,000 by age 68.

By creating a clear budget and tracking your outgoings, you can identify opportunities to reduce your spending and increase your pension contributions.

Read more: 5 budgeting tips to help you build the financial planning pyramid

3. Manage your investments to accelerate your growth

The funds in your pension are generally invested in a diverse portfolio of assets. Depending on how close you are to retirement, this can include a mix of low-, medium-, and high-risk investments.

Your pension choice may have been made many years ago, you can change this. You might prefer to select a different fund, tailoring your pension’s portfolio to your own preferences and risk appetite.

In some cases, you may be able to boost your pot’s growth by adjusting your portfolio. For example, you might opt to take on more risk for the chance of a higher return. However, it’s important to remember that the value of your fund can go down, as well as up, so increasing your level of risk isn’t guaranteed to accelerate your pot’s growth.

Get in touch

If you want to find out how your pension is invested, you can use the ZIO app to check your fund’s growth and manage your investment choices. The app can also help you understand the basics of how your pension works and evaluate whether your savings align with your retirement goals.

We also have a range of useful guides and articles on our website, with information about various retirement planning challenges.

If you’d like to get in touch, you can email enquiries@rfsl.co.uk or call 01534 502000 in Jersey or 01481 747940 in Guernsey.

Please note

This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at individuals only.

All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.

Please do not act based on anything you might read in this article. All contents are based on our understanding of current tax legislation, which is subject to change.

A pension is a long-term investment not normally accessible until 50. The fund value may fluctuate and can go down, which would have an impact on the level of pension benefits available. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances. Thresholds, percentage rates, and tax legislation may change.

Rossborough Financial Services Limited is regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission under the Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998 and licensed by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission.