Pensions are two thirds bigger for men than women
MEN’S pensions will be nearly two-thirds bigger than women’s among those planning to retire this year, research from Prudential has shown.
Men who start drawing a pension during 2010 can expect an annual average income of £12,169 – while women will receive only £7,424.
Pensions dropped for both men and women over the past year, but income for retirement plunged by three times more for women.
Women who give up work this year will receive a pension that is an estimated 11 per cent lower on average than those who retired last year. However, men’s pensions dropped by an average of only 3.5 per cent.
Karin Brown, director of pensions and annuities at Prudential, said: “The reason women appear to get less in their pensions than men is embedded in years of history and, to a certain extent, because some women take a career break to have children which has an impact.”
A total of 6,073 people aged 45 and over were questioned during December for the survey.
It also revealed that nearly a third of people over 55 were delaying their retirement plans because of the economic downturn and falls in the value of their investments.