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The real root of women's inequality in retirement

Posted on June 8, 2012

Research has revealed that Scotland has the second-worst gender pensions gap in the UK. A report by Prudential has found that women in Scotland can expect to receive more than one-third less than men when they retire, with an average annual income of £10,029 compared with £17,539 for their male counterparts.

The media has largely focused on the fact that the gender pensions gap has narrowed, although this is because men’s income has fallen as opposed to an increase in the amount women are saving.

Vince Smith-Hughes, Prudential’s retirement income expert, has advised ‘practical steps that women can take to improve their retirement income’ which includes maintaining pensions contributions during career breaks and making voluntary National Insurance contributions after returning to work.

However, such ‘practical steps’ are simply not an option for many women and do not address the real root of women’s inequality in retirement. Women are less likely to be in work and have access to an occupational pension scheme and when they are in work, they experience lower rates of pay and so are less able to contribute a pension. Research by Scottish Widows found that 71 per cent of women (compared with 60 per cent of men) cannot afford to save long-term while 23 per cent of women (compared with 17 per cent of men) are saving nothing for their retirement.

Women earn less over their lifetimes, have less savings, and less of a pension compared with men of equivalent age. As primary carers, many women have taken career breaks that have resulted in vast holes in their pension pots.

At a time when women’s incomes are being squeezed by not only the UK Government’s extensive public sector spending cuts but also the rising costs of childcare, food and energy bills, it is not surprising that many women are unable to save for their retirement.

Research reveals the majority of women can't afford to save for retirement

Government U-turn on women's pension age but millions still to lose out

Government pushes ahead with plans to raise state pension age for women

Tags: Research Pensions News
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Close the Gap newsround (21)

Posted on May 22, 2012

This week's newsround includes articles on occupational segregation, women and work and gender stereotyping.

NEWS - SCOTLAND

BBC News

Female unemployment: Why has it been rising rapidly?

Scotland on Sunday

Lady Susan Rice appointed president of Scottish Council for Development and Industry

NEWS - UK

The Guardian

First woman to command Royal Navy frigate takes helm

Child care costs: how the UK compares with the world

The Independent

Women directors are out of the picture at Cannes

The Telegraph

eFinancial Careers survey shows City gender pay gap hits 21%

BBC News

Ruchi Sanghvi: Facebook's pioneer woman

More failing to save for pension, says Scottish Widows

Belfast Telgraph

Rise in male childcare students

ASLEF

Why are train drivers male and white? Union asks.

EVENTS

Chartered Institute for IT-BSCWomen

BCSWomen Scotland will have their first meeting in Scotland on 27th June in the IBM office in St Andrew Square, Edinburgh. The event will start between 6 and 6.30pm, and go on until about 8.30pm. Further details available at bcswomenscotland.wordpress.com

CONSULTATIONS - UK Government

Equality Act 2010: consultation on employer liability for harassment of employees by third parties

Equality Act 2010: consultation on repeal of two enforcement provisions

Tags: UK Scotland Occupational segregation News Events
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Close the Gap concerned about dilution of equalities law

Posted on May 18, 2012

Close the Gap is concerned about the UK Government’s announcement of measures that may dilute existing equalities legislation. ‘Red Tape Challenge’ was a UK Government web-based consultation on current legislation, carried out with the specific aim of reducing so-called bureaucracy, and which attracted comments from the general public as well as from employers, and equalities organisations. Following this exercise, the Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities, Theresa May, announced yesterday that the government will review the ‘effectiveness’ of the public sector equality duty, and is minded to remove some existing legal protections for employers, and to reduce the role of employment tribunals.

The review, which will take a form that is yet to be announced, will cover the general public sector equality duty and the specific duty. This will have implications for Scotland, as the general duty covers Scotland and Wales as well as England. This review follows hot on the heels of the introduction of the general duty; the specific duties have not yet been implemented in Scotland.

May also announced a proposal to scrap equal pay questionnaires which provide individuals with information that can be used to take forward equal pay grievances and tribunal cases. She also announced the Government’s intention to remove the ability of tribunals to make recommendations to employers about changes to their employment practices. This would remove one of the only measures that tribunals have to address discrimination that is embedded, usually unwittingly, within the pay systems of employers.

There are enormous concerns about the impact of public sector spending cuts on the position of women in the labour market. The number of unemployed women is at a 25 year high with this number predicted as budgets reduce in the female-dominated public sector. There has also been a rise in pregnancy discrimination, cuts to flexible working, and an increase in the number women under-employed. Analysis by the House of Commons library researchers revealed that women will pay for more than 70 per cent of the £18bn cuts to social security and welfare set out in the 2010 emergency budget. The Women’s Budget Group has analysed cuts to services, and has determined that the withdrawal in public services amounts to 20 per cent of the income of single parents.

The public sector equality duty requires public sector employers to work proactively on the complex causes of the pay gap. Other legal remedies provide redress when things go wrong. Close the Gap will be responding to the consultation to remind the UK Government of the benefits of the Equality Act: public bodies working to provide the best quality of employment to employees, and clear expectations for employers and employees on how problems will be resolved if they arise.

Tags: UK The Law News Gender impact assessment Equality Act
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