UK Gender Pay Gap to Persist for 30 Years
The UK's gender pay gap is projected to persist for another 30 years at the current rate of progress, according to a new analysis. The Trades Union Congress has called for urgent acceleration, bringing the issue to the forefront of parliamentary debates. The slow progress is expected to increase pressure for new legislative action on pay transparency and reporting.
- The overall gender pay gap for all employees stood at 12.8% in April 2025. This figure translates to the average woman working for free for the first 47 days of the year compared to the average man. - The disparity widens significantly with age and motherhood; the pay gap is minimal for employees in their 20s and 30s but grows substantially for those aged 40 and over. Women aged 50 to 59 face the largest gap at 19.7%. Research suggests the "motherhood penalty" could account for up to 80% of the gender pay gap. - Industry plays a major role, with the financial and insurance sector reporting the largest pay gap at 27.2%. In contrast, sectors like accommodation and food services have a much smaller gap. Even in female-dominated fields such as education and health and social care, the pay gaps are 17% and 12.8% respectively. - Since 2017, UK employers with 250 or more staff have been legally required to publish their gender pay gap data. The government is now considering further pay transparency measures, including requiring salary ranges in job ads and banning questions about salary history. - Proposed legislation, such as the Employment Rights Act, aims to help close the gap by banning zero-hours contracts, which disproportionately affect women. The government is also pushing for employers to publish detailed action plans on how they will address their specific pay gaps. - Structural factors are key drivers of the pay gap, including the higher proportion of women in part-time work, which tends to be lower paid, and the underrepresentation of women in high-paying senior roles. Unpaid caring responsibilities are also a significant contributor.
