Three key discussion topics for women this Talk Money Week
We've teamed up with our financial wellbeing partners at Attivo this Talk Money Week to share some of the most important areas of discussion that women can take part in.
Money is a subject that many people find difficult to talk about.
In fact, one third of UK adults feel uncomfortable talking about it – and half feel that it's rude to do so.
Whether due to these feelings or other factors, financial literacy is particularly low among UK adults compared with people in other countries. As many as 39% don’t feel confident in managing their money and this gap only increases between men and women.
For instance, research by National Numeracy found that only 20% of women feel comfortable discussing their finances, and only 21% enjoy talking about money, compared with 28% and 30% of men respectively.
This year's theme for Talk Money Week is "it all counts".
It's all about breaking down the bigger picture to better understand your current financial situation and taking small, realistic and manageable actions to improve it – and simply talking about it can be a great starting point.
Nadine Perry, Associate Director and Chartered Financial Planner at Attivo, says:
"Money can understandably feel like a 'taboo' subject – and particularly for women, given that we've only really had greater autonomy over our own finances in the last couple of centuries. Once you do start talking about it, though, it can be a real confidence boost, and empower you to better manage your money in both the short- and long-term."
Here are some financial topics you could chat with friends and family about this Talk Money Week
1. The gender pension gap
The gender pension gap remains a significant issue for women in the UK. A 2022 survey by the Women’s Budget Group found that, on average, men hold £155,000 in private pension wealth, whilst women only have around £88,000.
This is primarily due factors like the gender pay gap and the "motherhood penalty" (where fewer contributions are made to pension pots during maternity leave).
What's more, according to the Money and Pensions Service, 59% of women feel that they don't have enough of an understanding of pensions to make retirement decisions (compared with 43% of men).
It all counts. Some handy discussion points could be:
Why the gender pension gap exists and what you could do to potentially close the gap, from:
— Continuing towards your pension if you take leave.
— Putting a little more money into your pension each month if you can.
— Exploring different pension management options, such as consolidation.
Attivo deep dive: Pensions
— See what your pension might be with our handy pension calculator here.
— Find out how your pension compares to others your age in this article.
— See how you could get your pension back on track here.
2. Passing on more money to future generations
The Great Wealth Transfer is coming, and women are set to inherit more money than ever before. In fact, 70% of the $124 trillion great wealth transfer will be inherited by women by 2048. However, four in 10 of the women due to inherit don't have a financial plan in place to manage it.
It all counts. You could chat with your family about:
— Any Wills and estate plans that currently exist – and whether they still reflect your wishes, such as later life care and gifting plans.
— Whether you or family members are likely to be subject to Inheritance Tax (IHT). This is particularly important as, from 6 April 2027, most unused pensions and death benefits will be included as part of your estate. This means that more families than ever will be pushed over the threshold for IHT.
Attivo deep dive: Estate planning
— Estimate your potential IHT bill with our Inheritance Tax calculator.
— Discover how effective planning can help reduce unnecessary tax in our guide.
— Find out how to prepare for the changes coming in April 2026 here.
3. Making the most of your money
Amid all the other financial gaps between men and women sits the gender investment gap. According to Boring Money's research, only 24% of women are investors, compared with 39% of men.
As noted by Nadine at Attivo:
"Women tend to be slightly more cautious than men when looking at investment risk, but this can also reflect a more balanced approach – one that can support better long-term investment decisions."
It all counts. Have a chat with friends and family about:
— The basics of investing, including what it is and the different investment opportunities available.
— What your goals would be for investing, such as bolstering your retirement fund or supporting a family member.
— Your risk tolerance for investing – for example, would you consider investing a higher amount for a potential but not guaranteed higher reward?
Please remember: the value of investments and any income from them can fall as well as rise, and you may get back less than you invest.
Attivo deep dive: Investments
— See if your investments are built to deliver income during market turbulence here.
— Investing vs overpaying your mortgage: which is better? Find out here.
— Discover how compound investing can help you support your children and grandchildren here.
Want to talk about these topics in more detail with a Financial Planner?
If you're a WI member, you can meet with our team for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your financial planning needs and see how we could support you to achieve your goals.
If this is something you think you would benefit from, you can book your free, no-obligation consultation with us below.
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