UK Gender Pay Gap Statistics 2024: How Age, Location and Ethnicity Impact Women’s Pay

The gender pay gap statistics in the UK show that women earn 14.3% less than men on average, and a women’s wage is influenced wildly by factors including age, location, industry and ethnicity. Companies in the UK with more than 250 employees must report gender pay gap statistics annually, and an overwhelming majority have men making more than women, on average.

This guide exposes the UK gender pay gap and the factors that influence it.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Short on Time? Here Are the Key Takeaways
2. UK Gender Pay Gap Statistics UK - Quick Overview
3. Is There a Gender Pay Gap in the UK in 2024?
4. Conclusion
5. FAQs
6. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Short on Time? Here Are the Key Takeaways
2. UK Gender Pay Gap Statistics UK - Quick Overview
3. Is There a Gender Pay Gap in the UK in 2024?
Show Full Guide
4. Conclusion
5. FAQs
6. References

UK Gender Pay Gap Statistics UK – Quick Overview

Is There a Gender Pay Gap in the UK in 2024?

Yes, there’s a 14.3% gap between the hourly earnings of men and women in the UK. Although it’s not quite as wide as the US gender pay gap, the average UK female employee makes 85.7p for every pound a man makes. For full-time employees, the gap is 7.7%, whereas female part-time workers actually earn 3.3% more than men.

As of 2017/18, all public and private sector employers with more than 250 employees are required to report gender pay gap data annually. Companies also need to report data on bonus pay. Using effective HR software can make gender pay gap reporting a more efficient process for businesses. 

The most recent UK gender pay gap data shows that:

• 79% of employers report men having higher median hourly wages
• 13% of employers report women having higher median hourly wages
• 8% of employers report men and women having the same median hourly wages

Here are the numbers for median bonus pay:

• 65% of employers report men having higher median bonus pay
• 18% of employers report women having higher median bonus pay
• 17% of employers report men and women having the same median bonus pay

So, in addition to a gender pay gap, there’s also a bonus pay gap between men and women.

While the gender pay gap in the UK has shrunk from 25.1% in 2003 to 14.3% in 2023, it’s clear that women’s earnings are still lagging.

Keep in mind that factors like location, age, industry, and others can profoundly impact the pay gap. The following sections of this guide look at these factors and examine how they influence the gender wage gap in the UK.

UK Gender Pay Gap Based on Location

Where you live and work is a major factor in the size of the gap. Gender pay gap reporting shows that all parts of England have a higher gap than Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland.

In Northern Ireland, men earn 3.5% less than women, while women in Wales and Scotland earn 5.6% and 1.7% less than men, respectively. Here’s a breakdown of the gender pay gap in different parts of England:

• The South East: Women make 12.9% less than men
• London: Women make 11.9% less than men
• The East Midlands: Women make 11.9% less than men
• The South West: Women make 10.5% less than men
• Yorkshire and the Humber: Women make 10.5% less than men
• The West Midlands: Women make 9.8% less than men
• The East: Women make 9.7% less than men
• The North West: Women make 7.8% less than men
• The North East: Women make 7% less than men

UK Gender Pay Gap Based on Age

Age also plays a role in the size of the wage gap. Young women and men in their late teens make nearly the same amount, but as they age, women generally begin to make less money than men.

Here’s a comprehensive look at the overall UK gender pay gap for different age groups:

• 18-21 year olds: Women make 0.8% less than men
• 22-29 year olds: Women make 4.8% less than men
• 30-39 year olds: Women make 11.5% less than men
• 40-49 year olds: Women make 17% less than men
• 50-59 year olds: Women make 19.8% less than men
• 60+ year olds: Women make 18.1% less than men

The numbers differ slightly for full-time employees:

• 18-21 year olds: Women working full-time earn 0.2% more than men
• 22-29 year olds: Women working full-time earn 3% less than men
• 30-39 year olds: Women working full-time earn 4.7% less than men
• 40-49 year olds: Women working full-time earn 10.3% less than men
• 50-59 year olds: Women working full-time earn 11.2% less than men
• 60+ year olds: Women working full-time earn 14.2% less than men

The same goes for part-time workers:

• 18-21 year olds: Women working part-time earn 0.9% less than men
• 22-29 year olds: Women working part-time earn 0.8% more than men
• 30-39 year olds: Women working part-time earn 3.3% more than men
• 40-49 year olds: Women working part-time earn 6.2% more than men
• 50-59 year olds: Women working part-time earn 4% less than men
• 60+ year olds: Women working part-time earn 6.9% less than men

UK Gender Pay Gap Based on Industry

Industry type also influences the gender pay gap. Most industries throughout the UK see a disparity between men’s and women’s wages, even relatively new industries like ecommerce. Industries with the widest gender pay gaps for full-time workers in the UK include:

• Finance and insurance (22.7% gap)
• Professional, scientific, and technical (14.3% gap)
• Manufacturing (13.4% gap)

For part-time employees, the industries with the largest gaps are:

• Education (24.6% gap)
• Finance and insurance (21.9% gap)
• Professional, scientific, and technical (15.5% gap)

While many industries have large gaps, some offer much closer wages between men and women. This includes transportation and storage (2.3% gap) and accommodation and food services (3.6% gap).

UK Gender Pay Gap Based on Level of Qualification

The level of qualification and type of schooling has also influenced the gap. While the gender pay gap persists across different degrees, it varies based on the subject studied. Here are some of the degree subjects with the largest gender pay gap according to average earnings:

• Medicine and dentistry: Men earn £63,600, while women make £43,200
• Veterinary sciences: Men earn £38,900, while women make £29,500
• Business and management: Men earn £36,900, while women make £27,900

Here are the subjects where the gender pay gap is the smallest according to average earnings:

• Communications and media: Men earn £28,700, while women make £25,400
• Health and social care: Men earn £30,300, while women make £26,100
• English studies: Men earn £31,100, while women make £26,700

The gender pay gap also begins soon after graduating. A HESA (Higher Education Statistics Authority) survey on employment status 15 months after graduating shows that female graduates earn a median salary that’s £2,000 less than male graduates with the same qualifications.

This gap only grows larger as careers progress:

• One year post-graduation: Men make 7% more than women
• Three years post-graduation: Men make 10% more than women
• Five years post-graduation: Men make 13% more than women
• 10 years post-graduation: Men make 24% more than women

UK Gender Pay Gap Based on Public and Private Sector Jobs

A gender pay gap persists in both the private and public sectors, as well. Full-time female employees in the private sector earn 12.8% less than men, compared to 9.6% less for female full-time employees in the public sector.

For part-time employees, female private sector workers actually earn 1.1% more than men, compared to 13.3% less in the public sector.

As a result, the public sector has a much smaller gap for full-time workers, whereas part-time female employees make more than their male counterparts in the private sector.

The gender pay gap in both the private and public sectors steadily decreased from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s. However, the public sector pay gap has remained relatively stagnant since then, while the private sector gap has continued to narrow.

UK Gender Pay Gap Based on Ethnicity

The gender wage gap in the UK also varies depending on ethnicity. Most women in the UK earn less than men, but the gap is especially large for a few ethnicities. For example, Pakistani women earn 31% less than men, Bangladeshi women earn 28% less, and Black African women earn 26% less.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) also released a report in 2023 comparing the median pay of different ethnic groups. It used White (English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish, or British) men as a reference level, and they had a median hourly pay of £15.59.

Here’s a breakdown of the median hourly pay that women of different ethnicities make and the wage gap between them and White men.

• White (English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish, or British) women: £13.09 (17.4% less than White men)
• White (Irish) women: £18.03 (14.5% more than White men)
• Other White women: £13.45 (14.7% less than White men)
• Bangladeshi women: £11.16 (33.1% less than White men)
• Chinese women: £17.69 (12.6% more than White men)
• Indian women: £15.18 (2.7% less than White men)
• Pakistani women: £11.55 (29.8% less than White men)
• Other Asian women: £12.25 (24% less than White men)
• African women: £12.81 (19.6% less than White men)
• Caribbean women: £14.54 (7% less than White men)
• Other Black women: £13.20 (16.6% less than White men)

Conclusion

The gender pay gap statistics in the UK show that while the gap has gone down from 25.1% in 2003 to 14.3% in 2023, women are still paid much less than men on average. The exact gap varies depending on factors like location, age, and industry. Despite this gap, there are still opportunities for top earnings. Use our guide on the best-paying tech jobs for women to discover the most lucrative roles with the highest salaries, or if you’re just looking for a way to plug the gap, check out our guide on 30+ ways to make money with AI.

Businesses should invest in robust performance management software to help ensure pay is measured on an employee’s contribution to the company, rather than factors such as gender, age and ethnicity.

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