Most people significantly underestimate how pervasive the gender pay gap is in most occupations and industries in the UK, finds research by HR and payroll software provider Ciphr.
Ciphr commissioned a survey of 2,000 UK adults, including 1,188 employees, to find out how closely people’s perceptions of the gap (if any) matched reality.
The findings revealed that a quarter (25%) of men and a fifth (19%) of women don’t think there are any job roles in the UK with gender pay gaps in favour of men in 2024. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), however, tend to prove otherwise.
According to the ONS, across all occupations, the median gender pay gap is 13.1%. This means that women working in the UK earn £2.39* less per hour, on average, than their male peers.
Based on Ciphr’s analysis of the data, nearly three-quarters (71%) of all jobs – even those predominately held by women – and the majority (89%) of industries in the UK, have gaps (of 1% or higher) in favour of men.
Yet, concerningly, just 1 in 10 employees say their industry has a gender pay gap in favour of men. And even fewer (8%) believe that their occupation or employer have gender pay gaps in favour of men.
This may be true for many employers but not as a rule. Especially not larger organisations. The UK government’s 2023-24 pay gap reporting data reveals that over three-quarters (78%) of organisations, with over 250 employees, pay their male employees more than their female employees (62% of these companies have a gender pay gap of 5% or more).
The results highlight that many employees have a skewed perception, or lack of knowledge, of the gap generally. Many also view their occupation’s, industry’s, or organisation’s gender pay gaps more positively than they perhaps should – which does nothing to help close any gaps that may exist.
That said, the workers most likely to be aware that their industry may have a pay gap problem include those employed in marketing, advertising and PR. Nearly two-fifths (38%) of people working in this sector, which is classified under professional, scientific and technical activities (by the ONS), think there’s a gender pay gap. And there is, at 20.1%, with women earning just 80p for every £1 men earn.
Around one in four survey respondents working in insurance and pensions, social care, and recruitment and HR also think their industries have gender pay gaps. They all do, at 29.8% (financial and insurance activities), 11.2% (human health and social work activities), and 6.2% (administrative and support service activities) respectively.
In comparison, those working in healthcare, retail, and teaching are among the least likely to say that their industry has a gap in favour of men. All these sectors do though – of 11.2% or more (the gender pay gap for education is 17.2%).
Claire Williams, chief people and operations officer at Ciphr, says:
The UK’s stubbornly high, double-digit (13.1%) gender pay gap reflects systemic issues that cannot be ignored. It’s not just a matter of fairness – it’s a matter of equity, engagement, and trust in the workplace. Employers must do more to uncover and address the root causes of these disparities, from recruitment practices to career progression and pay structures. By fostering transparency and taking concrete, measurable actions, organisations can begin to close the gap and create a workplace that truly values and rewards talent equally, regardless of gender.
Claire Williams, chief people and operations officer at Ciphr
Joanne is the editor for Workplace Wellbeing Professional and has a keen interest in promoting the safety and wellbeing of the global workforce. After earning a bachelor's degree in English literature and media studies, she taught English in China and Vietnam for two years. Before joining Work Well Pro, Joanne worked as a marketing coordinator for luxury property, where her responsibilities included blog writing, photography, and video creation.
