Overview
- Median private pension wealth at retirement is projected at £173,000 for women versus £286,000 for men, leaving a £113,000 gap that has grown from about £100,000 last year.
- The report ties the disparity primarily to childcare-driven career breaks, with 58% of women at or near retirement having paused work compared with 12% of men, and it cites health and the menopause as contributing factors.
- More women are forecast to fall short of even a minimum retirement lifestyle, with 36% not on track compared with 31% of men, based on Pensions UK living standards.
- Scottish Widows highlights low shared parental leave use, reporting that roughly four in five recent mothers did not take it, and recommends spouse or partner third‑party pension contributions during breaks.
- The analysis draws on two YouGov surveys conducted in January–February and August–September 2025, and illustrates that a five‑year work break at age 35 could reduce a woman’s pension by about £69,000 by age 67.