Many women are not putting enough aside in pension funds to adequately invest for their future, new research has revealed.

Although women are increasingly independent in society, it seems that when it comes to investing for their retirement, fewer are squirreling cash away than their male counterparts, data for pension firm Scottish Widows showed.

Some 36 per cent of women surveyed said they are unable to make any additional payments towards their future than they currently do; this compares with 30 per cent of men.

Ian Naismith, head of pensions market development at Scottish Widows, commented: It has widely been reported that women are disadvantaged in the labour market in terms of earnings - what this report reveals is that as well as earning less, women are saving less for their futures than men.

He added that women are also placing a smaller proportion of their wages into a pension than men, thereby investing less for an uncertain future.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale, the Department for Work and Pensions has announced the creation of a new team which aims to stamp out child poverty.