Men earn 20% more than women, say the TUC

Research for the TUC Women's Conference, which opens in Liverpool on Wednesday, points to childcare as a key factor in increasing poverty.

Union leaders fear it means another generation of poor female pensioners.

They have promised to step up their campaign for fairer pay as a result of the findings.

Many families are poor because their mothers cannot afford to work and pay for expensive childcare Brendan Barber TUC

The report claimed two out of three adult women had a below average income, compared with 56% of adult men.

It also concluded women pensioners were more likely to be poor than retired men, because they were not earning enough to contribute much to pension schemes.

One of the major causes of female poverty was the near 20% pay gap between men and women workers, the TUC added.

TUC general secretary-elect Brendan Barber said: "Life is tough for hundreds of thousands of women who experience poverty from childhood through to old age.

'Eradicate pay gap'

"Many families are poor because their mothers cannot afford to work and pay for expensive childcare.

"And even women lucky enough to be able to afford to work often find themselves earning so little that they cannot afford to save for their old age.

"The most effective way to lift women out of a life of poverty would be to eradicate the gender pay gap, to allow women to earn a decent wage for the work they do."

Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt was due to address the conference on Wednesday.