The Labour Government is facing calls to plug a "significant wealth gap" between pensioners in Britain after shocking new research.
Analysis has exposed a troubling reality in British retirement planning, with male pension savers putting aside 27 per cent more than their female counterparts during early 2025.
The research, conducted by online pension provider PensionBee, found that typical quarterly pension contributions reached £1,624 across the first six months of this year.
These findings, drawn from data on 286,000 invested customers through to June's end, demonstrate that retirement savings inequality remains entrenched despite broader economic shifts.
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Labour is being urged to address a growing 'wealth gap' among pensioners
|GETTY
While overall contribution amounts have stayed robust, the substantial divide between what men and women save continues unchanged from previous years.
Breaking down the figures reveals men deposited £1,845 on average each quarter, whilst women managed £1,347 during the initial half of 2025.
Male pension payments dropped by four per cent compared to the previous year's £1,920, yet female deposits stayed virtually static, shifting marginally from £1,349.
The data indicates women have maintained their retirement savings despite continued financial strains, whilst male deposits appear more sensitive to economic fluctuations or shifting market dynamics.
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Britons are worried about their pension savings | GETTY This pattern emerged from PensionBee's comprehensive review, which tracked contribution patterns across hundreds of thousands of active pension accounts throughout the period.
The persistent savings disparity connects to a wider retirement crisis facing British women. Government statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions reveal that those approaching retirement age face a 48 per cent wealth gap in private pensions between genders.
PensionBee analysis underscores how current contribution patterns perpetuate these long-standing disparities, with today's savings gaps threatening to create tomorrow's pensioner poverty amongst women across the UK.
Lisa Picardo, Chief Business Officer UK at PensionBee, warned against allowing present-day disparities to transform into retirement-age destitution.
"We can't allow today's contribution gaps to become tomorrow's poverty in retirement," she stated.
Picardo acknowledged the positive aspect of sustained contribution levels but expressed alarm at the unchanging gender divide.
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| GBNEWS"The fact that male savers consistently contribute over 25 per cent more than female savers reflects systemic inequalities that compound over decades," she explained.
She called for immediate Government intervention through policy changes, whilst urging employers and pension providers to take greater responsibility for improving women's retirement prospects.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has unveiled major reforms to the pension system, including the plan to double the number of UK pension megafunds by 2030; a move which is supposed to lead to a £6,00 retirement savings boost.
The Chancellor said: "We’re making pensions work for Britain. These reforms mean better returns for workers and billions more invested in clean energy and high-growth businesses – the Plan for Change in action."
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