Women’s pensions impeded by career breaks and working part-time
Research reveals a 49% difference between male and female average UK pension pots – according to the latest review of the Gender Pension Report (GPR) by the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD).
GAD analysis of the GPS gender pension gap saw that on average, the male pension equated to £8,466 while the average female’s equated to £4,285.
A 46% difference was also recorded between actively contributing males and females in legacy accrued final salary benefits, and a 35% difference between male and female actively contributing members post-2014 accrued career average benefits. The data provides valuable evidence to help develop government policy on the pensions scheme.
An analysis by the LGA four years ago across local government employers also noted there was a mean gender pay gap of 6.1% and a median gender pay gap of 4%, further indicating the obstacles women face.
The difference also highlights how women taking career breaks or working part-time significantly impacts upon pay and pension pay – a balance that needs to be reviewed.
Fraser Stewart, Chief Commercial Officer for FinTech platform Lyfeguard, said: “Pensions are an important aspect of people’s lives due to the sheer amount of time people spend working towards them, so it is vital that there are equal opportunities to earn a fair pension fund for life after work, rather than face a significant gender disparity. More education and effort should be put into pensions, in general, in order to maximise the benefits of these schemes.”
