Women need to start making contributions to their pensions, no matter how small, it has been suggested.

Ruth Whitehead, director of independent financial advisers Ruth Whitehead Associates, said making minimal monthly contributions is better than not putting any money aside at all.

"The financial services industry should encourage more people to make affordable pension provision earlier in life by not frightening clients off with admonitions to contribute more than they can afford," she claimed.

Once women get into the habit of putting money away, they can start to increase the money they pay into their pension pots, Ms Whitehead advised.

More than one-third of adults in Britain who are not yet retired do not have a personal or company pension in place, according to YouGov research commissioned by Foster Denovo.

The survey also highlighted that more than a quarter of people aged between 25 and 44 do not have any provisions – such as property, inheritance or savings – in place for retirement.