The Pension Penalty
Women in the UK receive 33% less pension income than men.
That’s the pension penalty.
Years spent caring for children, parents and loved ones can leave millions of women with lower earnings, lower pension contributions and less financial security in later life.
While caring keeps families, communities and the economy running, our pensions system fails to recognise its value.
That’s why we’re launching The Pension Penalty.
We’re campaigning to close the gender pension gap and ensure nobody is left worse off in retirement because they stepped up to care for the people they love.
And we’re not just campaigning for change. We’ll bring you practical tools, expert advice and support to help you take action and improve your pension prospects, whatever stage of life you’re at.
Here’s how you can help
Three simple ways to help us challenge the pension penalty and push for change.
The more people who stand with us, the harder we are to ignore.
Sign up to join The Pension Penalty campaign and be among the first to hear what’s coming next. Together, we can push for a pension system that stops penalising mothers.
The Government’s Pensions Commission is examining the future of pensions in the UK.
Now is the time to make sure our voices are heard.
Use our quick template to ask your MP to:
- Write to the Pensions Minister
- Raise the issue in Parliament
- Push for better pension protection
Help us spread the word.
Share our social media content to help more people understand the pension penalty and why change is needed.
Repost it online, share it in a WhatsApp group, talk to your boss or colleagues, or spread the word among friends and family. Every conversation matters.
What’s coming next?
This is just the beginning.
We’re developing an online guide to help you understand what can affect your pension throughout your life, from maternity leave and part-time work to caring responsibilities and career breaks.
We’ll show you where the risks are, what you can do to protect yourself and the steps you can take now to avoid being short-changed in retirement.
We’re also excited to launch a pensions podcast series, bringing together experts and real-life experiences to expose the true cost of motherhood on retirement income and explore what needs to change.
And from late 2026 into 2027, we’ll be taking The Pension Penalty on the road. We’ll host free events in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester and London, offering practical advice, support and the chance to meet in person and tackle the pension penalty together.
Be part of the change.
Sign up today to be the first to hear about new resources, podcast episodes, roadshow dates and ways to get involved.
