The gender pensions gap is the last barrier to female equality

Many women still suffer from a touch of the Cinderella complex. These days, few want men to sweep up the bills as well as sweeping them off their feet. But many women implicitly expect to rely on their men’s private pensions in retirement. ‘My husband is good with money. I leave that stuff up to him’, said the young woman at my hairdressers. I just managed to stop myself from giving her the full two barrels and screaming: ‘No! Don’t put your future into someone else’s hands!’

Despite women achieving equality in so many other ways, that is what more women are doing, according to the latest Scottish Widows’ Women and Retirement Report. Only 52 per cent, compared with 60 per cent of men, are saving enough to feel comfortable in retirement – which is lasting longer as life expectancy rises. In 2014, the gap was five per cent.

Much of the difference stems from women earning lower average wages and often working part-time or taking career breaks to look after family. Many pay childcare costs solely from their income instead of expecting their partner to chip in, so they have less to save.