Public sector pension reforms 'may hit women hardest'

Lord Hutton this week said the current method of basing workers' pensions on their final salary was "inherently unfair". In his interim report, he said it might be more equitable to link pension payouts to people's career average earnings instead. But some experts say this move could represent a double blow for female public servants because women are both more likely to take career breaks and earn less than men. Jennie Kreser, pensions partner at London-based lawyers Silverman Sherliker, says: "There is a possibility of discrimination against women with career average schemes, des...