On InternationalWomensDay, it’s important to recognise that gender inequality doesn’t stop at the workplace, it follows women into retirement.
In the UK, the gender pension gap remains significant, with retired women receiving on average around 36% less pension income than men. This means many women effectively go months each year without the equivalent pension income that men receive. The reasons are well known: lower lifetime earnings, time out of the workforce for caring responsibilities, and structural barriers within pension systems.
At the same time, the experience of the WASPI women reminds us how policy decisions can disproportionately impact women later in life. Millions of women born in the 1950s faced sudden changes to their state pension age with inadequate notice, leaving many struggling financially during what should have been their transition to retirement.
International Women’s Day is about celebrating progress — but it’s also about recognising where work remains to be done.
If we are serious about gender equality, we must look beyond pay gaps today and address the pension gaps of tomorrow.
That means:
• Tackling structural inequalities in pensions
• Supporting carers so they don’t lose retirement security
• Ensuring policy changes are communicated fairly and transparently
• Learning from past injustices so they are not repeated
A fair retirement should not depend on your gender.
