According to the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the UK’s gender pay gap will only close in the next three decades if progress continues at its current pace.
An analysis of the union body’s official earnings data shows the average pay gap between men and women is 12.8%, equivalent to £2,548 a year. At this rate of improvement, the gap would not be closed until 2056, the TUC said.
The distance varies greatly depending on the sector. It is highest in finance and insurance at 27.2%, while in leisure services it is only 1.5%. Even in female-dominated sectors such as education and health and social care, the pay gap remains significant at 17% and 12.8% respectively.
The gender pay gap reflects the difference in average earnings between men and women in different organizations and industries. Companies with more than 250 UK employees are required by law to publish gender pay data.
According to the TUC, the inequality means the average woman “effectively works 47 days a year for free” compared to male colleagues.
“Women worked practically for free compared to men in the first month and a half of the year,” said TUC general secretary Paul Nowak. “With the cost of living still high, women simply cannot afford to continue to be losers.”
The pay gap is widest among workers aged 50 to 59, a trend the TUC attributes in part to the long-term impact of women pausing or scaling back their careers to take on caring responsibilities.
The trade union federation is calling for improved access to flexible work options, expanded childcare options and stricter parental leave policies to narrow this gap. Nowak described the government’s latest employment law as “an important step forward” but argued that further measures are needed to allow parents to better share their care responsibilities.
Business groups have previously warned that additional worker rights and benefits could increase costs for employers. Matthew Percival, director of the future of work and skills at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said businesses were already facing significant pressure.
“The cost of doing business is leading to job losses,” he said. “With major changes to labor laws imminent, the government must be careful not to increase the burden even further.”
Under the new rules, employers will have to publish action plans setting out how they plan to reduce their gender pay gap.
A government spokesman said ministers would “tackle the root causes of the gender pay gap” through measures such as expanded childcare entitlements, increased protections for new mothers and changes to flexible working rights.
Despite gradual progress in recent years, the latest figures suggest that without faster reforms and structural changes, pay equality remains a long way off.
