PILLAR THREE · THE RECEIPTS
Pensions &
Long Term Wealth
The thing nobody discussed in school. The thing most women in their 20s are quietly ignoring because it feels too far away to matter. It isn't. The delay is expensive. The compound interest is unforgiving. And the receipts for waiting are the most painful ones we'll ever show you.
✦ What your pension actually is - and why it's one of the most powerful wealth building tools you have
✦ The difference between defined benefit and defined contribution pensions in plain English
✦ Whether you're getting your full employer pension match - and what you're leaving on the table if not
✦ What happens to your pension when you change jobs - and how not to lose track of it
✦ How to check if your pension is invested properly - and what to do if it isn't
Pensions aren't boring.
Being broke at 65 is boring.
Let's make sure that's
not your receipt.
The gender pension gap means women retire with on average £100,000 less than men. That's not inevitable. It's the result of starting later, contributing less, and not knowing what to check. This pillar changes that.
THE RECEIPT
The cost of waiting ten years
THE PENSION RECEIPT
SARAH STARTS AT
MAYA STARTS AT
Age 25
£200
Total paid in by 65
Total paid in by 65
£96,000
Age 35
Monthly contribution
Monthly contribution
£524,000
£200
£72,000
Pension pot at age 65
Pension pot at age 65
£243,000
THE GAP
£281K
Same monthly payment | Same discipline | Ten year difference | Illustrative figures based on 7% average return
£127k
Average gender pension gap at retirement in the UK
Mercer, Gender Pensions Gap Report 2026
58%
of the zero-pension-wealth group are women
Women's Budget Group's analysis of the ONS Wealth and Assets Survey
£12,548
Full state pension per year 2026/27 - enough to live on? You decide
GOV.UK
KNOW YOUR PENSION
The four types - simplified
TYPE ONE
Defined Benefit
Final Salary
Pays you a guaranteed income in retirement based on your salary and years of service. Increasingly rare - mostly public sector. If you have one, it is genuinely one of the most valuable financial assets you own. Do not take it for granted.
LUCKY IF YOU HAVE THIS
TYPE TWO
Defined Contribution
Money Purchase
You and your employer pay in, the money is invested, and what you get out depends on how much went in and how the investments performed. This is what most people in the private sector have. The amount you contribute now directly determines the life you live later.
MOST COMMON TYPE
TYPE THREE
Workplace Pension
Auto-enrolled through your employer. They contribute a minimum of 3%, you contribute a minimum of 5%. But minimums are not enough - and many women don't realise they can increase their contributions at any time. Check yours today.
CHECK YOUR EMPLOYER MATCH
TYPE FOUR
SIPP Self-Invested
Personal Pension
A pension you set up yourself - useful for the self-employed, freelancers, and anyone who wants more control over where their pension is invested. You get tax relief on contributions - meaning for every £80 you put in, HMRC adds £20. Free money. That's the receipt.
FOR THE SELF-EMPLOYED & FREELANCERS
Pensions Receipts
Compound interest does not care
that you were busy.
It does not care that nobody explained this.
But now you know.
So now you can act. Right. Go check your pension. We'll wait. 🖤
YOUR HOMEWORK
Do you know where
your pension actually is?
Not roughly. Actually. The provider. The fund it's invested in. The current value. The employer contribution percentage. Most women don't know the answers to all four. Do you?
KEEP EXPLORING
More receipts to discover
THE WEEKLY RECEIPT