Women are being hit hardest by the financial squeeze, more research has revealed. It isn’t a complete shock but it is very disheartening that the Government has failed to address the issue and continuing numbers of women feel the financial squeeze and more have suffered during the recession than men- something that we have all been aware of for some time.

The research was been published by Which? in its Quarterly Consumer Report and revealed that it is women who cut back on essentials and are struggling to save for the future.

Not only are they feeling the squeeze personally but they also are far less optimistic about their personal finance and the future of the wider economy, with just 15% of them expecting it to improve over the next year.

Women, it stated, estimate they spend some 11 hours per month worrying about their finances compared to just nine and a half by men.

The research also revealed that men are more likely to have saved the recommended amount as outlined by the Government to help protect against the occurrence of unexpected expenses or a sudden drop in income 42% to 27% of women.

I hope this important, yet hardly surprising survey has a greater impact on the Government and policy makers. They must spend time considering the longer term ramifications this will have on women including on their pensions as well as the affect it will have on other sources of income and or other areas of their lives. You can read more on it here.

Unemployment figures released last week showed that it has risen by 70,000 reports revealed. Specifically another 20,000 under 25’s are now registered as unemployed while pay rises reportedly slowed to 1%, the lowest figure since 2001 when records began. This is now the third consecutive increase and is the highest level since July. This puts greater pressure on Chancellor, George Osborne to act. Maybe now is the time for him to consider a different strategy? You can read a full report on the situation here.

It was undoubtedly a difficult week for London Marathon organisers following the terrible events at the Boston Marathon the previous week. Organisers doubled efforts and put huge work into ensuring the event went ahead smoothly. A respectful one minute silence was held at the start of the race, and it went ahead, with tighter security but smoothly nevertheless.

Record numbers, 700,000, of supporters turned out to cheer on, friends, loved ones or even those they didn’t know creating a wonderful atmosphere which London should be proud of. You can read more here on the eventful day.