1.5 million UK widows have lost out on pension income

Around 1.5 million widows in the UK aged 55 and over say they have lost out on pension income in later life following the death of their partner, new research has revealed.

Equity release lender, more2life, and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), stated that just 16% of men said they have experienced the same situation.

This figure is substantially lower than the 59% of widows who reported a loss of pension income, which more2life suggested demonstrates a disparity between men and women when it comes to later life income.

The research also revealed the impact of divorce on women’s pension income, with two in five (39%) women saying they had lost out on the retirement income they receive or expect to receive as a result of splitting from their partner. This compared to the 21% of men who believe their retirement income had been negatively affected by divorce.

more2life’s findings, based on a study among 1,016 over-55s, also indicated that only a third women (35%) had reported having independent pension wealth, while 17% said they jointly own this with their spouse or partner. Furthermore, 40% of women reported no pension wealth at all.

According to more2life CEO, Dave Harris, the research is “further evidence” that the later life income discrepancy between men and women is a serious issue that needs to be addressed.

“A lack of independent pension wealth or relying on a partner’s income isn’t something that can be fixed overnight, so we need to raise awareness of the alternative options available for women in later life to boost their income in retirement,” Harris said.

“With more than a quarter of women owning property wealth in later life, it’s vital that they know how unlocking the value in their homes can be the difference between just making ends meet and living comfortably in retirement.

“Solutions such as equity release are popular amongst older homeowners looking to use their housing wealth to help fund their retirement. We need to make sure the over-55s, and women in particular, are supported as they make choices around how they use their assets to achieve the retirement they deserve.”

    Share Story:

Recent Stories


FREE E-NEWS SIGN UP

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive breaking news and other industry announcements by email.

  Please tick here to confirm you are happy to receive third party promotions from carefully selected partners.


NEW BUILD IN FOCUS - NEW EPISODE OF THE MORTGAGE INSIDER PODCAST, OUT NOW
Figures from the National House-Building Council saw Q1 2025 register a 36% increase in new homes built across the UK compared with the same period last year, representing a striking development for the first-time buyer market. But with the higher cost of building, ongoing planning challenges and new and changing regulations, how sustainable is this growth? And what does it mean for brokers?

The role of the bridging market and technology usage in the industry
Content editor, Dan McGrath, sat down with chief operating officer at Black & White Bridging, Damien Druce, and head of development finance at Empire Global Finance, Pete Williams, to explore the role of the bridging sector, the role of AI across the industry and how the property market has fared in the Labour Government’s first year in office.


Does the North-South divide still exist in the UK housing market?
What do the most expensive parts of the country reveal about shifting demand? And why is the Manchester housing market now outperforming many southern counterparts?



In this episode of the Barclays Mortgage Insider Podcast, host Phil Spencer is joined by Lucian Cook, Head of Research at Savills, and Ross Jones, founder of Home Financial and Evolve Commercial Finance, to explore how regional trends are redefining the UK housing, mortgage and buy-to-let markets.

The new episode of The Mortgage Insider podcast, out now
Regional housing markets now matter more than ever. While London and the Southeast still tend to dominate the headlines from a house price and affordability perspective, much of the growth in rental yields and buyer demand is coming from other parts of the UK.

In this episode of the Barclays Mortgage Insider Podcast, host Phil Spencer is joined by Lucian Cook, Head of Research at Savills, and Ross Jones, founder of Home Financial and Evolve Commercial Finance.