For men and women retirement planning in Cheshire, new research has revealed a stark gender gap. Women aged 55 to 59 have, on average, £81,000 in their pension pots, whereas men of equivalent age hold £156,000.
Indeed, the latest findings, published by City AM, warn that some women face the serious danger of exhausting their pension savings as early as seven years into retirement. Men, on the other hand, could make their money last for 17 years. Data collated by King’s College London in May 2025 found that men are twice as likely to own shares, and are, on average, poised to earn an extra £260,000 over their careers.
This corroborates earlier analysis from 2020 to 2022, which was carried out by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). It identified a 48% pension wealth gap between men and women in their mid to late 50s, despite the fact that statistically women live longer lives. While this is generally true, it is precisely for that reason some women will struggle in building lasting pension wealth.
According to investment expert, Camilla Esmund, women are often disadvantaged due to such factors as having to work part-time or take on unpaid roles caring for close family members.
Across the UK, 9.9 million men invest compared with 6.8 million women. However, Esmund is keen to refute the stereotype that females are inherently more cautious investors than more “gung-ho” men, citing data indicating no significant gender differences in portfolio analysis.
