On Friday, April 4, 2025, the deadline for UK reporting of gender pay gaps passed. This required all private sector employers with more than 250 workers to submit data. Government figures reveal that nearly four-fifths (78%) still have a wage gap in favor of men.
The UK’s gender pay gap is now 8.6 percent per hour for 2024-25, a small improvement over last year’s 8.95 percent. The slight reduction in the gender pay gap highlights the slow progress of change, despite the scrutiny. According to a study released in January, it may take 40 years for the UK to close its gender pay gap.
10.650 employers have submitted their reports before the deadline . This compliance rate is more than 95%, with 11,000 companies required to submit their reports. In recent years the proportion of late submissions decreased dramatically, from 14 % in 2020-21 down to 9 % in 2023-24 to now just 5 %.
8 294 companies that filed on time reported a pay gap favoring men. The data is similar to the results of last year, when 8,101 (78%) companies reported a gender pay gap in favor of men. This figure was 5,667 (80%) in 2020, indicating that the gender gap is slowly but consistently narrowing.
Women are still underrepresented at senior levels
There is little change in the composition of leadership positions. Women still make up 42 percent of the employees in the top earning quartile and 46 percent of the upper middle earning quartile. The proportions of women in the top quartile and the upper middle quartile are almost identical to the figures from the previous year, suggesting that there has been little progress made by women to reach senior or better-paid positions.
Several sectors are still significantly below the national average. Data sifted shows that financial companies are among the worst performing. Atom Bank reported a median gender pay gap hourly of 32,4%, Checkout.com was at 21,3% and Revolut was at 12,7%. UKTN’s analysis places the average gender pay gap in the tech industry at 17.5%, which is well above the national rate.
The disparities in pay and representation of women in finance and technology continue to be structural, as evidenced by the low number of women in senior positions and in leadership.
Close the gap by educating and promoting accountability
Professionals in the industry are calling for more accountability within organisations. Alex Pusenjak is the VP People and Culture of order management system Fluent Commerce. He said that organizations need to take action.
Words alone are not sufficient. The CEO and the Senior Leadership Team are not in a position to’resolve the gender pay gap’. “Systems and processes must be implemented where everyone is accountable to ensure that employees are remunerated equally and fairly, regardless of gender,” Pusenjak said to HR Review.
To ensure gender equity and pay equity in the workplace, leaders need to educate themselves on what this is and why it matters. Then, and only then, can organisations begin to think about the “how”. Making the case for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is important. It should be incorporated into everything right from the start.
He noted that Employee Resource Groups are important in achieving measurable progress.
The UK’s gender gap in pay will not be reduced unless everyone takes responsibility for reducing it. Employers must provide equal pay for women and men in the workplace.
