The study showed women anticipated joint retirement income of around £32,000, while men expected to receive £35,100.

It said almost 20% of couples over the age of 40 have not discussed their retirement plans in five years, with over 10% avoiding the topic altogether.

Some 56% of 1,996 people questioned said they had their own pension, compared to 24% who had both a shared and personal pension and 6% who had a joint pension only.

Prudential’s retirement expert Vince Smith-Hughes said: “It’s easy for couples to put off conversations about finances, particularly longer-term issues like retirement, because it’s difficult to see any short-term impact.”

Couples in Wales were the least likely to have discussed their finances, while those in the east midlands and south west were most open to broaching the subject.

The findings come in the wake of previous research from the insurer which found women were twice as likely as men to be unsure what their main source of income would be in retirement.