Only one in five women save any of their monthly income for retirement, according to research by online stockbroker TD Direct Investing for British Savings Week.
The equivalent figure for men is one in 10 failing to save, suggesting a large percentage of the female population is failing to save for retirement and men are ahead when it comes to funding a pension.
The findings come during British Savings Week, which is designed to encourage people to look at ways they can save money.
Taking care of finances has become increasingly front of mind for the working generation, as the five year austerity drive has highlighted the need for more financial security and a plan for the future. However, the TD Investor Confidence survey has revealed that women are not saving enough towards retirement and there is a gap between male and female behaviours.
Only one in ten men were not saving any monthly income for retirement.
Stuart Welch, chief executive of RD Direct Investing said: "Saving for retirement is a vital financial responsibility that everyone holds, however with general household finances feeling the pinch over the last few years, it could be that retirement saving is suffering."
{desktop}{/desktop}{mobile}{/mobile}
"Pensions are not being utilised to their full potential in order to prepare for the future. This may be due to a lack of understanding or lack of access to financial tools and information. We believe this environment is set to change, with investors starting to have more access to DIY investing tools and information and therefore the ability to take control of their money and their future."
Following the Bank of England's announcement on interest rates in August, a base rate rise is not expected until at least 2016.
Mr Welch added: "The financial environment is just starting to reshape with changes designed to make investing easier, giving UK consumers more control over their finances. For example, the recent acceptance of AIM stocks into Isas means savers and investors have more choice in how they use their money.
"Alongside this, a new wave of IPOs has begun to take shape, not just in the UK with the Royal Mail, but also globally, with Twitter for example. Now could be the time for consumers to start investing in themselves and their future."
TD Direct Investing is a subsidiary of the TD Bank Group which is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, and has more than 85,000 employees in offices around the world, and approximately 22 million customers worldwide.