Overview
- The report estimates median private pension wealth at retirement of £173,000 for women versus £286,000 for men.
- The projected gender gap at retirement has grown to £113,000 from £100,000 a year earlier.
- Career breaks are far more common for women than men at or near retirement, at 58% versus 12%, with childcare the standout driver and health including menopause also cited.
- Financial planning gaps compound outcomes, as 40% of women did not plan for a career break and 56% did not consider its retirement impact, leaving 36% not on track for even a minimum lifestyle compared with 31% of men.
- Scottish Widows highlights steps such as better uptake of shared parental leave, employer pension contributions during maternity leave, and third‑party contributions, with findings based on YouGov surveys and modelling benchmarked to Pensions UK living standards.