The likes of Dame Anita Roddick and Martha Lane Fox are holding a torch for women in the boardroom but men are still holding the purse strings at home.

Research by the Financial Services Authority shows less than a third of married women have an occupational pension and only six per cent have a personal pension.

Men are still more likely than women to take advantage of virtually every financial product from current accounts to life insurance.

Twenty-three years ago these figures would have made more sense.

In 1981, men filled 3.2 million more jobs than women. Now the numbers are almost equal, with men in 12.8 million jobs and women 12.7 million.

There are still factors which could explain why more men use personal finance products.

More women work part-time and far more men are self-employed.

Hove accountancy firm Ashdown Hurrey claims traditional thinking and outdated perceptions of finance as a male terrain are holding women back.

In a bid to redress the balance, the firm, based in Church Road, is holding a Money For Women Week to encourage women to take control of their own finances.

The firm's female staff will offer free financial advice to women on a range of issues including running a business, investments, pensions, taxation and mortgages.

Chartered certified accountant Victoria Mason said her career had helped her to find the right advice on planning her personal finances. She added: "Unfortunately, a lot of women aren't as lucky and as a result they are put off by the stereotype of a stuffy, male-dominated industry.

"Many women who have previously relied on a partner to manage these issues find it incredibly difficult to cope when, for whatever reason, they are without that influence in their lives.

"The whole point of the initiative is to overcome that obstacle by promoting greater awareness and involvement of women in planning their finances."

The Ashdown Hurrey Group has a number of women in key positions within the company, including a director of human resources, payroll manager and specialist mortgage consultant.

Jenny Knight runs her own Brighton-based management training consultancy called Development with Altitude and approached Ashdown Hurrey when starting up.

She said: "I had never had to think about things like bookkeeping, pensions and tax because I had always been employed and it was a bit daunting at first.

"But the advice I have had has been excellent, especially how much I should be saving for myself and how much I should be investing in the business. It has taken the pressure off me."

From next Monday to Friday, May 28, Ashdown Hurrey will provide support to any woman who would like advice about business or personal financial affairs.

For more information, call Victoria Mason on 01273 739592.

Wednesday May 19, 2004