Women are more likely to consider using their pension provider’s guided retirement option than their male counterparts, according to new research.
Over a third (37%) of women say they would be likely to utilise their provider’s guided retirement option in comparison with 22% of men.
According to Boring Money’s Pension Report 2026, women were much less likely to get paid for one-off retirement advice (6%) than men (11%), and were also less likely to be paying for ongoing financial advice (16% vs 20%).
They also held less in retirement savings than men. The average workplace pension for a pre-retirement woman over 50 was £65,000, in comparison to £120,000 for a man of the same age.
Boring Money said the report’s findings demonstrated that services such as Targeted Support could help close the gender advice gap around retirement.
Holly Mackay, CEO at Boring Money, said: "Women have traditionally been left behind when it comes to financial advice, but our research suggests that better DIY services, including guided retirement options, could help change that.
"Guided retirement alone won't be a silver bullet, but as part of a broader range of support - including emerging AI-powered solutions and Targeted Support - there are encouraging signs that better services for those who haven't traditionally received financial advice could help more women improve their retirement outcomes."
Separate research from wealth manager Quilter in September found a growing demand for more flexible forms of financial advice.
Among HENRYs (high earners, not rich yet), openness rises to 56% for comprehensive advice, 51% for targeted support and 37% for a one-off ISA review.
Targeted Support, introduced by the FCA recently, provides limited investment guidance to consumers of similar background and levels of wealth but is not designed to provide a full Financial Planning service.
The Financial Ombudsman Service has previously said that it expects to receive complaints related to the FCA’s new Targeted Support regime in the 2026/27 financial year.
• Boring Money surveyed 2,025 UK pension savers over the age of 50 in September and 3,193 UK adults over the age of 50 in January.