In the lead-up to International Women’s Day on Saturday, and its campaign strapline of #AccelerateAction, financial advisers from Unbiased, the UK’s leading platform for finding financial experts, have shared their professional insights on how women can take control of their futures.
The responses, gathered from a diverse range of professionals across the industry, highlight key steps women can take to build financial confidence, secure long-term stability, and overcome gender-specific financial challenges.
Women’s financial influence is growing. By 2025, women are forecast to own 60% of UK wealth, a trend expected to continue over the next decade as they inherit, build, and manage wealth.
Despite this, financial confidence remains a hurdle, with many women missing out on investment opportunities, pension planning, and long-term wealth-building strategies.
To help women turn financial potential into long-term security, various experts share practical steps on building confidence, investing smartly, and overcoming common financial hurdles.
Taking control: Investing and pensions matter
The survey responses reveal that women often delay investing due to a lack of confidence, missing out on long-term wealth-building opportunities.
Lauren Langridge of Folio Partners shares her experience: “It wasn’t until my late 20s that I started to question if my money was actually where it should be and started to look into other options, such as investing, and what that looked like for me.”
Similarly, Deborah Jacobs of PenLife Associates urges women to prioritise their pensions: “The gender pension gap and career breaks for caregiving can further impact income and stability. But the good news is – it’s never too late or too early – to take control of your financial future. Prioritising your pension, even in small ways, can have a huge impact.”
David Toner of True Potential Wealth Management agrees, noting technology can play a crucial role as people can harness it to take control of their finances and achieve long-term goals through regular tax-efficient investments.
Breaking down barriers: Addressing gender-specific financial challenges
Women face unique financial challenges, from career breaks to longer life expectancies, making long-term planning even more critical.
“As women, we often place the needs of others ahead of our own, so financial planning tends to be at the bottom of a long ‘to do’ list,” notes Deborah Jacobs.
Lorraine Cregg of Depledge Strategic Wealth Management adds: “Women often view money differently – they consider what it can do for their lives and the lives of their families, rather than an end in itself. Furthermore, women face unique financial challenges, notably a longer life expectancy, which requires a different approach to financial planning.”
Alan Francis of BFM suggests a policy change that could help: “Women can have career gaps for bringing up children, which affects their pension funds. One of the greatest things the government could do would be to allow the annual allowance to be split between partners, instead of the small £3,600 allowance for non-workers.”
The power of female financial advisers and mentors
Many women feel more comfortable seeking advice from female professionals as they better understand their financial priorities and concerns.
Mikki-Leigh Gant of Walden Capital highlights the importance of representation: “I regularly meet clients who prefer to work with a woman adviser, and while the financial services industry is still light on female representation (16%), the situation continues to improve year by year.”
Alec Cameron of Advice 2 U calls for early engagement in financial literacy with educational programmes to encourage more women into the industry: “More young people need better information about money and to start that dialogue much earlier, it’s not just about young women.
“And we need the media to change the visual interpretation of women in the finance industry, they need to be the investors, the entrepreneurs and occupy the top jobs.”
Unbiased: Supporting women on their financial journey
Unbiased is committed to helping women navigate their financial journey by connecting them with professional financial advice.
Karen Barrett, founder and chief executive of Unbiased reinforces this commitment:
“International Women’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women and empower them. Financial confidence among women is growing, but there are still barriers to overcome.
“We want to ensure women have access to the knowledge and guidance they need to make informed decisions about their future. By connecting them with expert advisers, we’re helping them build financial security that lasts a lifetime.”
This International Women’s Day, the message is clear: women have the power to take control of their financial futures, and with the right knowledge and resources, they can build lasting security.
