3 practical ways working with a financial planner could help women ensure their financial future

5 February 2026

International Women’s Day (IWD) is coming up on Sunday 8 March. Leading with the theme of “Give to Gain”, it’s a good opportunity to look at gender equality and the role financial planning firms can play in supporting women to secure greater financial success.

The gender pension gap often steals most of the headlines. For example, in January 2026, This is Money reported that “men end up with four times more in their pension pots by the age of 60”.

Data from the Department for Work and Pensions suggests that men aged between 55 and 59 hold an average of £75,000 in defined contribution pension pots. Meanwhile, women in the same age bracket have just £19,000 – meaning women typically have 75% less in their pensions.

Though the pensions gender gap is a persistent problem, lower retirement savings are just one symptom of a wider systemic problem.

Keep reading to learn more about other key ways working with a financial planner could help you or women you know take control and gain financial confidence.

1. Take control of your financial future

Modern-day life is busy. Women in particular can find that all their time is taken up in making sure they stay on top of home life, work life, friendships, and relationships. It’s all too easy to forget to think about the future.

Not only are we busy, but historically, women have concentrated on the day-to-day household finances. Indeed, according to a report in FTAdviser, women are still more likely to oversee daily expenses, with 75% handling groceries and bills, compared with 63% of men.

While the equality landscape has shifted in recent decades, on average, women still earn less than men in their lifetimes. This alone could cause women to shy away from risk, preventing them from investing for the long term and providing for their retirement.

Since women typically live longer than men, it’s all topsy-turvy – as women could benefit from a greater financial boost.

How we can help you gain control

One of the first conversations we have with new clients revolves around long-term goals. Thinking about the long-term future doesn’t always come naturally, and many people have only vague notions of what they’re looking to achieve.

We’ll take the time to talk things through and understand what matters to you most, then work out a plan designed to help you achieve your goals.

2. Address a pension savings gap

As mentioned above, on average, women aged between 55 and 59 typically have 75% less in pension savings than their male counterparts.

Considering that you may need enough put by to fund a retirement that could last 30 years or more, addressing any shortfall early is key.

To give you an idea of the sums involved, the Pension and Lifetime Savings Association estimates that a single person needs £43,900 a year to achieve a comfortable retirement, while a couple needs £60,600.

Whether you have a shortfall due to spending valuable time raising your family, or simply didn’t start saving soon enough, if you know you have a gap in your pension savings, you’d be wise to act as soon as possible.

How we can help you narrow a retirement savings gap

From identifying a gap to helping you understand how much you need to make up, we’ll help you understand all your options.

The first option would be to review how much you’re paying into your pension and see if there’s a way to increase your contributions. Depending on your circumstances, it may be worth asking your employer if they’d be willing to increase the amount they contribute to your workplace pension.

When you and your employer contribute to your pension, you receive tax relief at your marginal rate of Income Tax. So, if you’re a basic-rate taxpayer, a £100 contribution will only “cost” £80 because the government tops this up.

For higher- and additional-rate taxpayers, this would only “cost” £60 or £55, respectively.

Most pension providers will only add 20% tax relief automatically, so if you’re a higher- or additional-rate taxpayer, you’ll need to claim your additional tax relief through your self-assessment tax return or by contacting HMRC directly.

Other options you may wish to consider include:

• Seeking support from your partner or other family members who may be willing to make third-party contributions
• Reviewing where your pension savings are invested, and how much you’re paying in fees and charges
• Checking your State Pension forecast and filling any gaps in your National Insurance contributions (NICs).

Every penny helps, and over time each of these steps could help you to build a larger pension pot and give you a greater chance of achieving your retirement goals.

It’s important to remember that a pension is a long-term investment, not normally accessible until 55 (57 from April 2028). Also, the fund value may fluctuate and can go down, which would have an impact on the level of pension benefits available. And past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances. And thresholds and tax legislation may change in subsequent Finance Acts.

3. Increase your confidence when investing

If you’ve considered investing before but felt overwhelmed by the amount of information and jargon involved, you’re not alone.

While investing is often seen as a way to achieve financial independence, many women still lack confidence in this area. In fact, according to a survey carried out in 2025, FTAdviser reports that only 33% of women feel confident making investment decisions.

If a lack of confidence is preventing you from investing or leading you to take a highly risk-averse attitude to your portfolio, you could be jeopardising your future financial security.

How we can help you gain confidence

Investing over the long term could help you build the wealth you need for your ideal future.

Indeed, studies going back more than 100 years show that, historically, investing in shares has given a greater return on your money than cash when held for the medium to long term. The longer you invest for, the greater chance you have of your shares growing faster than money left in the bank.

However, please remember that the value of your investments (and any income from them) can go down as well as up, and you may not get back the full amount you invested. Also, past performance isn’t a reliable indicator of future performance.

Any investments you make should be considered over the longer term and should fit in with your overall attitude to risk and financial circumstances.

We can help you build a diversified portfolio with a level of risk that aligns with your circumstances and life goals.

Get in touch

If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you to narrow a retirement savings gap or otherwise support your financial future, please get in touch.

Email [email protected] or call 0161 8080200.

Please note

This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at individuals only.

All information is correct at the time of writing and is subject to change in the future.

Please do not act based on anything you might read in this article. All contents are based on our understanding of HMRC legislation, which is subject to change.

Workplace pensions are regulated by The Pensions Regulator.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate tax planning.