Women’s pensions are a "national scandal", the government admitted yesterday.

Alan Johnson, the work and pensions secretary, revealed he is considering introducing a "citizen’s pension", so that women got the same benefit.

The state pension is based on National Insurance contributions which means that women, who work less in order to raise children, form the majority of the poorest pensioners.

"Women’s pensions are, in a sense, a national scandal," Johnson said.

"Only 50 per cent of women get the full basic state pension and yet we have a situation where we expect women to be carers so often."

David Willetts, the shadow pensions minister, welcomed Johnson’s "very frank admission" that the pensions system was not working.