UK’s gender pay gap forecast to persist for another 30 years

The Guardian - World NewsEN 2 min read 100% complete by Rob DaviesFebruary 15, 2026 at 12:42 PM

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medium article 2 min

A Trades Union Congress (TUC) report forecasts that the gender pay gap in the UK will persist for another 30 years, meaning equal pay between men and women will not be achieved until 2056 at the current rate. The report states that women effectively worked without pay for the first month and a half of 2024 due to the £2,548 annual pay disparity. The overall pay gap is 12.8%, with larger discrepancies in sectors like education (17%) and finance/insurance (27.2%). The TUC believes the Employment Rights Act could help address the issue by banning zero-hour contracts and requiring employers to publish action plans. Research also suggests that the gender pay gap may have been underestimated for over 20 years due to data collection issues.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Office for National Statistics 40% British Journal of Industrial Relations 40% Employment Rights Act 60% Labour 60% Paul Nowak ×270% Trades Union Congress ×380% United Kingdom 90%

Keywords

gender pay gap 100% pay parity 70% women's earnings 60% equal pay 60% employment rights act 50% trades union congress 50% cost of living 40% zero-hours contracts 40%