- The gender pay gap stands at 12.8 per cent across the UK workforce.
- Finance and insurance show the widest gap at 27.2 per cent.
- Women effectively work 47 days unpaid compared with men, unions say.
The UK gender pay gap could take until 2056 to close if progress continues at its current pace, according to analysis by the Trades Union Congress (TUC). The warning adds fresh urgency to a debate that has lingered for years despite policy changes and reporting requirements.
Official pay data examined by the TUC shows a 12.8 per cent difference between average earnings for men and women, which translates to about £2,548 a year. The disparity varies widely depending on the sector. Finance and insurance recorded the widest gap at 27.2 per cent, while leisure services showed a much smaller difference of 1.5 per cent.
The gender pay gap looks at overall differences in pay between men and women working across the same industries. UK employers with more than 250 staff are required to publish their pay data, making the figures a key measure of workplace inequality.
Even in sectors where women make up a large share of the workforce, the gap remains noticeable. Education shows a gap of 17 per cent, while health and social care stands at 12.8 per cent.
The TUC argues that pay disparity means the average woman effectively works the first 47 days of the year without pay compared with male colleagues. Women have been “working for free for the first month and a half of the year compared to men,” TUC general secretary Paul Nowak reportedly said, as quoted in a news report. He added that with living costs remaining high, women “simply can’t afford to keep losing out” and deserve a fair share.
The gap is widest among workers aged 50 to 59, which unions link partly to long-term effects of women stepping back from careers or reducing hours to manage caring responsibilities.
The TUC is calling for wider access to flexible working and more affordable childcare, arguing these changes could help narrow the divide. Nowak also pointed to the Employment Rights Act as an important step forward for pay parity but said more support for parental leave is needed so parents can share caring duties more equally.
Balancing rights and business pressures
Business groups have raised concerns about the cost of expanding worker rights. Matthew Percival, Future of Work and Skills Director at the Confederation of British Industry, reportedly said firms are already facing pressure and warned that further changes to employment laws could affect hiring decisions, as quoted in a news report.
Employers will soon be required to publish action plans outlining how they intend to reduce their gender pay gaps, a move the government believes will push organisations to take more concrete steps.
A government spokesperson reportedly said that measures including stronger protections for new mothers, flexible working reforms and expanded childcare support are aimed at tackling the root causes of the gap and helping women progress at work, as quoted in a news report.
