Official figures show divorced women over the age of 50 end up with a pension worth £100,000 less than that of their former husband.
According to a survey of over-50s divorced people and married couples across Britain by the Office for National Statistics, the average pension pot of divorced women totals £131,000, compared to the £235,000 divorced men typically have.
The average divorced woman over 50 has property wealth of £169,000 compared to the £191,000 of men.
Former pensions minister Sir Steve Webb, who now works for insurer Royal London which compiled the analysis, said,
“‘Pensions are so complicated to understand that many people do not appreciate their value when they get divorced. Their focus tends to be on getting half of the house.
“But if your ex-husband has a generous pension built up over 25 years, it could be worth more than the house.”
He added, “When couples split up there is an understandable focus on family issues and on highly visible assets such as the family home.
“But very often one partner will have pension rights which are less visible but can be just as valuable.”
