The Office for National Statistics published data this week that shows London as a region has the widest gender pay gap in the UK. Currently, women working full-time in London earn 14.6 per cent less than their male colleagues. In the past twenty years the gap has narrowed only slightly from 15.1 per cent. In contrast, during this same period the pay gap in Wales and Scotland has gone from 17.5 per cent and 18.4 per cent to 6.3 per cent and 6.6. per cent respectively.
Among part-time workers however, women on average earn more than their male counterparts. The gap is narrowest in the South-East where women earn 3.1 per cent per hour more than men. This is down from 1997 when women typically earned 9 per cent more, indicating that men's wages have grown quicker in this area.
The variation for part time workers in both the public and private sector is stark. In 1997 women working part-time in the public sector earned 6.1 per cent less. This gap has now widened to 22.3 per cent. The position has in fact reversed in the private sector where women earned 2.2. per cent less than men two decades ago and now earn 2.6 per cent more.
Although the gender pay gap reporting obligations introduced this year are certainly a step in the right direction, these latest statistics show that much work is still needed if the gender pay imbalance is to be improved in London and throughout the UK.
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