Women are most at risk of being poor in retirement, according to a new report published on Wednesday by Age Concern and the Fawcett Society.

The research suggests that even if women were given an extra £100 a month, only one in 10 would put it into a pension. One in four would prefer to pay off debts or spend the cash on children.

A spokesman for the DWP told ePolitix.com: "The government is committed to ensuring that pension reforms improve women's pension rights and helps enable them to make provision for their retirement.

"Options such as the stakeholder pension offer women who have to take a break from their work or are non-earners the chance to save without penalty, and the State Second Pension can help boost the pensions of women who are in low or moderately paid jobs.

"We are also bringing in the new pension credit in October that will reward pensioners who have modest savings. Two thirds of all people who will benefit from it are women."

Forum Response: Age Concern

Michelle Mitchell, Head of Public Affairs for Age Concern said: "Today's women pensioners are most likely to live in poverty and unless the government takes action it looks like history will repeat itself for the next generation.

"Generally people who have a comfortable retirement have a good private pension, but many women simply can't afford to save and must rely heavily on the state pension. The current system is littered with obstacles and less than half of women pensioners qualify for a state pension in their own right."

Forum Response: Help the Aged

Richard Wilson, incomes policy officer at Help the Aged, told ePolitix.com: "This report highlights a major problem with our pension system, which is contributing to the current pensions crisis: Women still feel they cannot afford to save for their retirement.

"It is a shame the government's pensions green paper entirely failed to address this issue. Without urgent government action future generations of women will be condemned to poverty in retirement."