The 2.76million women in the UK who plan to retire in 2009 can expect to receive £6,642 a year less in their annual pensions than men, equivalent to a total income shortfall of more that £42bn, according to Prudential.

New figures released from the Prudential Class of 2009 retirement survey, published this week, show that women due to retire in 2009 can expect an average pension of £13,671, while the 3.95million men who are planning to retire this year will receive £6,642 more. Men will collect on average a pension of £20,313.

With 58 being the average age at which UK adults retire, the survey found that there are more women than men who say they will work beyond the traditional retirement age. Almost 18 per cent of women plan to work beyond the standard retirement age of 60, compared to just five per cent of men who are planning to work beyond their 65th birthday.

"It's still a shock to see so many women retiring at such a disadvantage to their male colleagues, despite all we know about the causes of pension discrepancies between men and women," said Karin Brown, annuities business director at Prudential.

"The gender gap has become so firmly established because women have historically earned less than men, and still earn around 17 per cent less. When women have children, their pension contributions reduce significantly or stop altogether, and their state pensions often take a hit as well.

"The divorce rate which has climbed over the past few decades is expected to keep rising, so we could see an increase in the number of divorced women without a spouse's pension to fall back on." Brown added.

- Pensions Age April 2009

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