The gender pay gap is the difference between average salaries for men and women. It’s a complex matter that is often the subject of discussion in offices across the UK. Although the gap has reduced significantly in the last ten years, it’s still evident that men are paid more than women. In fact, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), men earned 18.4% more than women in 2017.
So, with the gender pay gap still very much alive in the UK, how does Yorkshire measure up? Let’s find out.
The Gender Pay Gap in the UK
In April 2018, companies with over 250 employees are required to report their gender pay gap and publish it on a government website. The report will most likely reveal whether or not the gender pay gap is bigger or better than last year’s findings.
On average, three out of four businesses in the UK pay their female employees less than their male employees. The gender pay gap is a notoriously sensitive issue, with most companies denying that the gap is linked to unequal pay for the same job. On the bright side, the pay gap has decreased in recent years. In 2011, the pay gap was 10.5% but had since dropped to 9.1% in 2017. Although this is a step in the right direction, men still earn a higher average salary than women.
Many organisations have already published their gender pay gap reports. While some have witnessed a definite improvement this year, others are reporting high differences between the average earnings of men and women. For instance, the Co-Operative Bank P.L.C reports a 30.3% pay gap while the EasyJet airline reports a staggering 51.7% difference. Much of the evidence shows that an estimated nine out of ten women work for a company that pays them less.
Yorkshire Vs the rest of the UK
Now that we’ve had a closer look at the rest of the UK, let’s see how Yorkshire’s gender pay gap measures up against the competition.
The University of London, for example, reports that their female employee’s hourly rate is 14.8% lower than
erence, and their latest report shows that women make 22.5% less than men.
men’s. Newcastle University has an even more significant gender pay gap with women’s mean hourly rate being 20.4% less than men’s. So, for every £1 that men earn, a woman will earn an average of 80p. The University of Leeds in Yorkshire has an even bigger percentage diff
However, it’s not all doom and gloom in Yorkshire. In fact, many businesses have a below national percentage average when it comes to the gender pay gap. The North Yorkshire County Council reported a 12.1% gap while the South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue have an 8% gender pay gap.
One organisation that’s received quite a bit of unwanted attention and controversy in the press lately is the North Yorkshire Police, who reported a 21% pay gap in their 2018 report. The figures also revealed that there are more men than women in top paying roles within the organisation. The Yorkshire Building Society reported a 31% difference, which means that their female staff earn 69p for every £1 that a male staff member receives.
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