The UK’s gender pay gap has fallen to its lowest level since records began, but new data shows women are still missing out on the best-paid roles and leadership positions.
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the median pay gap between men and women working full-time has dropped to 6.9 per cent, down slightly from 7.1 per cent in 2024 and 7.9 per cent in 2020. The steady fall marks clear progress, but experts say the pace of change remains too slow and masks deeper inequalities in the workplace.
Although the overall gap has narrowed, women continue to earn less than men across every major occupational group. The difference becomes even more pronounced in senior roles, where the gap rises to more than 15 per cent among the top ten per cent of earners. Campaigners say this reflects the continuing lack of women in senior and executive positions, particularly in private sector industries such as finance, technology and construction.
“It’s incredibly alarming to see the mean gender pay gap widen in 2024 and shows that without concerted effort most women won’t see equal pay in our working lifetime,” said Jemima Olchawski, Chief Executive of the Fawcett Society. “We need to see a step change from employers and government alike. Without action, most women will never see equal pay in their working lives.”
The ONS report also reveals that younger workers are now close to achieving pay parity, but the gap widens significantly among those aged 40 and over. Analysts link this to the impact of motherhood, caring responsibilities and a lack of flexible senior roles that allow women to progress without penalty.
The picture varies across different industries. Finance and professional services continue to show some of the widest pay gaps, while the public sector performs better overall but still sees women concentrated in lower-paid grades in areas such as education and healthcare.
Mandatory gender pay gap reporting, introduced in 2017, requires organisations with more than 250 employees to publish their data each year. More than 10,000 UK employers now report annually, covering millions of workers across all sectors. The policy has helped to keep equality on the agenda, but campaigners say transparency alone will not close the gap. Employers need to take practical action, from improving promotion pathways to offering genuine flexibility in senior roles.
Despite the challenges, the figures show steady change. In 2020, the full-time pay gap stood at 7.9 per cent; by 2025, it had narrowed to 6.9 per cent. Progress may feel slow, but it is moving in the right direction. The question, experts say, is whether employers and policymakers will maintain the focus needed to finish the job.
The ONS emphasised that the gender pay gap is not a measure of equal pay for equal work but a broader reflection of average pay differences across jobs. Even so, it remains one of the clearest indicators of inequality in the workplace.
With reporting now firmly established, the challenge for employers is to turn data into action — to build workplaces where talent, not gender, determines opportunity and reward.