The gender pay gap in the UK

Abstract

The gender pay gap is the average difference between mens and womens hourly earnings within the economy as a whole. Across Europe women earn on average around 17% less than men and in some countries the gender pay gap is widening. The gender pay gap also has an important impact on lifetime earnings and on women's pensions. Earning lower pay means having a lower pension and it causes a higher risk of poverty for older women. The gender pay gap is the consequence of ongoing discrimination and inequalities in the labour market which, in practice, mainly affects women. The pay gap is linked to a number of legal, social and economic factors which go far beyond the single issue of equal pay for equal work.