Almost a third of people expect to rely on their partner’s pension in retirement, whilst just over a fifth (21 per cent) are unsure if they will need to, research from Hargreaves Lansdown has revealed.

The survey showed that women were more at risk of relying on their partner's pension, with 39 per cent of women expecting to do so, compared to 23 per cent of men.

Hargreaves Lansdown attributed the gender difference to a "variety of factors", including lower wages, part-time work, and time out of the workforce for caring responsibilities, emphasising, however, that this is "by no means purely a female thing".

Indeed, expectations also varied in different age groups, with the research suggesting that younger savers were less likely to be reliant on their partner's pension, as 24 per cent expected to need to use their partner's pension, while 43 per cent do not.

In contrast, 36 per cent of 35-44 year olds said that they expected to rely on their partner in retirement.

"Auto-enrolment means more people than ever will be able to build up a pension throughout their working lives meaning they are less likely to have to rely on anyone else in retirement," Hargreaves Lansdown senior pensions and retirement analyst, Helen Morrissey, explained.

However, she warned that for many young savers, the years where their finances will be severely squeezed are ahead of them.

Regional differences were also found, with those in London the most likely to rely on their partner’s pension, with 53 per cent planning to do so, compared to 23 per cent of people in the North-West.

Commenting on the findings, Morrissey said: "While it makes sense for couples to share financial responsibilities, leaving long term planning such as a pension primarily in the hands of one partner could leave you financially vulnerable in later life.

"If your partner has a much better pension than you then it is tempting to rely on that rather than build your own, especially if you’re on a lower income. However, if you choose to take this approach, you need to understand the risks you’re taking.

"If you’re not married, then in the event of a split, you won’t be entitled to a share of the pension at all. If you are married, then within a divorce, women tend to leave with less than half of the pension.

"This is often because women will offset it in an effort to keep the family home, especially if they have primary responsibility for the children. However, this could leave them with a massive hole in their retirement finances.

"Even if you stay together, you need to consider the practicalities of sharing one income, managed by one of you, especially if you have different financial priorities. Often both of the couple will want the security and independence of their own income."

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