25 OCTOBER 2018

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The pay gap has closed slightly from 13.8% (revised figure from last year) to 13.7%. This represents the mean gender pay gap for full-time workers.

Fawcett Society Chief Executive Sam Smethers says:

“This is a practically static picture on pay inequality. This slow rate of progress means without significant action women starting work today and in decades to come will spend their entire working lives earning less than men. It’s a loss they can’t afford and it’s a missed opportunity for our economy. Improving our performance on gender equality in the workplace could increase GDP by £150 billion.”

The data also shows:

• Worsening situation in the public sector where the gender pay gap has slightly widened over the last five years, although it did improve slightly this year
• The mean gender pay gap rose slightly for 22-29 year olds, having risen by 3.4% over the last five years. It is now at 5.8%
• The gap has fallen fastest for women in their 40s over the last five years. It is now 15.9%
• For women over 50 the gap rose over the last year
• Over the last year there has been a widening gap in social care, sales and admin occupations