The relationship between women's work histories and incomes in later life in the UK, US and West Germany

Evandrou, Maria, Falkingham, Jane and Sefton, Tom (2009) The relationship between women's work histories and incomes in later life in the UK, US and West Germany. CASE Papers (137). Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, London, UK.

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Abstract

Using data from several large scale longitudinal surveys, this paper investigates the relationship between older women’s personal incomes and their work histories in the UK, US and West Germany. By comparing three countries with very different welfare regimes, we seek to gain a better understanding of the interaction between the life course, pension system and women’s incomes in later life. The association between older women’s incomes and work histories is strongest in West Germany and weakest in the UK, where there is evidence of a pensions’ poverty trap and where only predominantly full-time employment is associated with significantly higher incomes in later life, after controlling for other socio-economic characteristics. Work history matters less for widows (in all three countries) and more for younger birth cohorts and more educated women (UK only). We conclude with a brief discussion of the ‘women-friendliness’ of different pension regimes in the light of our analysis.

Item Type:	Monograph (Working Paper)
Official URL:	http://sticerd.lse.ac.uk/case/_new/publications/de...
Additional Information:	© 2009 The authors
Divisions:	Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > D History (General) > D901 Europe (General) H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
JEL classification:	I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I3 - Welfare and Poverty > I38 - Government Policy; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs H - Public Economics > H5 - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies > H55 - Social Security and Public Pensions
Date Deposited:	21 Jun 2010 10:16
Last Modified:	11 Dec 2024 19:33
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/28243

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