The gender pension gap starts at age 28 as many women actively choose not to boost pension contributions because of competing priorities.
New research shows that among retail investors, men and women’s pension contributions start taking a different path at age 28.
More women take career breaks at that age to have children and consequently see their pension contributions slip down the pecking order.
The ONS’ most recent data suggests the average woman in the UK has her first child at 29, which is both a huge life event and a financial shift.
According to new AJ Bell research, between the ages of 29 and 40, a fifth (21%) of women say they work part time, compared with 5% of men – hitting their pension in the long run.
The firm said women tend to have financial priorities more aligned with life events, such as buying a home or saving for travel or children.
Meanwhile auto-enrolment rules mean more women miss out on valuable pension contributions.
Charlene Young, AJ Bell senior pensions and savings expert, said: “At the age of 28, many women will be starting to think about getting married or starting a family and graduates might also be looking over their shoulder at their student debt balance.
“Unfortunately, these competing priorities mean many women actively choose not to boost pension contributions. It’s a crucial time in their lives as younger women could miss out on the power of investment growth over a longer timeframe.”
She said pension priorities come back to the fore for women at age 41. “The priority gap between men and women when it comes to their pension doesn’t last forever. As women hit age 41, they begin to prioritise their pension equally to men. Almost one in three (29%) women aged 41 to 55 name their pension as a financial priority, compared with 30% of men.”
Ms Young added that Government data shows that women working full time are paid, on average, 6.9% less than men. “That’s a sizeable difference in take home pay, but it also means that women are paying less into their pension each month, which has a snowballing effect on their pension pot over time.”
She called on pension providers to communicate to women in ways that reflect their reality. “Women may take career breaks to care for children or parents, work part-time or face slower career progression than men. Pension communications should reflect diverse life experiences and goals rather than a linear or one-size-fits-all approach.”
• Source: AJ Bell/Opinium. Based on a nationally representative survey of 2,000 UK adults carried out online between 2-7 April 2026, as well as a boost survey of 100 28-year-olds.