Public sector gender pay gap ‘more than £6,000’

19 Aug 14
New figures show that female bosses working in the public sector are still only earning three-quarters the salary of their male counterparts.

By Helen Mooney | 19 August 2014

New figures show that female bosses working in the public sector are still only earning three-quarters the salary of their male counterparts.

The data, published by the Chartered Management Institute and salary specialists XpertHR, shows the current gender pay gap for the sector’s managers stands at £6,490, with the average salary recorded as £36,050 for men and £29,560 for women.

It shows that female managers are earning only three-quarters (77%) of what men in full-time comparable jobs earn – a 23% gender pay gap.

The National Management Salary Survey, which covers over 30,000 professional workers in the public sector and 68,000 across the UK, shows the gap is widest between men and women aged between 45 and 60 at £16,680 per year.

More than 40 years after the Equal Pay Act outlawed less favourable pay and conditions in the workplace, the data shows that the gender salary gap is still stark in senior management with a ‘midlife pay crisis’ particularly hitting female managers aged over 40, who earn 35% less than men.

The survey also shows a persistent ‘bonus pay gap’. The average bonus for a female manager in the public sector stands at £1,333, while for male managers the average payout is £1,822.

Ann Francke, chief executive of CMI, said: ‘Lower levels of pay for women managers cannot be justified, yet our extensive data shows the pay gap remains a reality for too many women in the public sector.  

‘Women and men should be paid on the basis of their performance in their particular roles, but this is clearly not yet the case for far too many. We have to stamp out cultures that excuse this as the result of time out for motherhood and tackle gender bias in pay policies that put too much emphasis on time served.’


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