Gender pay-gap increases     

Over the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic period, earnings estimates were affected by changes in composition of the workforce and the impact of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough) making interpretation difficult; also data collection disruption and lower response rates mean that, for 2020 and 2021, data were subject to more uncertainty and should be treated with caution; we would encourage users to focus on long-term trends rather than year-on-year changes.

There remains a large difference in the gender pay gap between employees aged over 40 years and those aged below 40 years.

Compared with lower-paid employees, higher earners experience a much larger difference in hourly pay between the sexes.

The managers, directors and senior officials’ occupation group has experienced the largest fall in gender pay gap since the pre-coronavirus pandemic April 2019 figure, especially for those aged 50 and over; this group has previously been identified as having a notable impact on the pay gap.

The gender pay gap is higher in every English region than in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The gender pay gap is calculated as the difference between average hourly earnings (excluding overtime) of men and women as a proportion of men’s average hourly earnings (excluding overtime). It is a measure across all jobs in the UK, not of the difference in pay between men and women for doing the same job.

Jill Cotton, career trends expert at Glassdoor, said: "We need to break the taboo around salaries. The persistent lack of pay transparency puts women at a disadvantage and is fuelling the gender pay gap. Glassdoor research shows that women are less likely than men to negotiate their pay while interviewing. And 1 in 2 women admit they lack the confidence to ask for a pay rise. The latest gender pay gap figures show there is much more work to be done. Companies need to embrace salary transparency and hold themselves accountable for what they pay each worker. And with hiring set to remain challenging for the year ahead, being open about pay will make attracting talent easier. 75% of workers would be more likely to apply for a job with a salary range displayed in the listing. Without open discussion and transparency around salaries, it will be near impossible to achieve equality in the workplace."

Helen Tinnelly, founder of Propelelo, a training and development company that levels up workplace gender equality: "This data isn’t surprising, as many of the older members of the workforce correlates with senior management representation, which is overwhelmingly male. The gender pay gap emerges at the critical ’broken rung’, with too many women either dropping out of the workforce entirely or not being supported in their careers at middle management. In addition, the age group 40 to 49 is typically the onset of menopause. 1 in 4 women experiencing menopause are considering leaving the workforce and 10% actually do. Since this is the fastest growing UK workforce demographic and 10% are leaving, the compound effect is the gender pay gap data we’re seeing today."

Ryan Venner, managing director at Calne-based recruiter, Premier Jobs UK: "It is a great shame to hear the gender pay gap remaining too far adrift, particularly for those who have been in work for many decades already. Sadly, at the current rate, it will take more than a couple of generations to reach equilibrium. There should be a continued focus on destigmatising the conversation regarding salaries and equal pay and seeing greater representation across all roles in the workforce. The silver lining is the green shoots of fairer pay for those under 40. Hopefully, the next generation of senior managers will expedite the process of creating a fairer workplace for all."