Women work for free for almost two months a year, damning research finds

Exclusive: ‘We need a complete overhaul of the shared parental leave system. It’s not an affordable option for most working families. Dads need leave they can take in their own right,’ says Frances O’Grady

Gender pay gaps were found to be even starker in certain areas of the UK, resulting in women having to work for even longer for free each year (PA Archive)

Women end up working for free for almost two months a year in comparison to the average man, damning new research has found.

The study, carried out by the Trade Union Congress and shared exclusively with The Independent, discovered the gender pay gap for all workers is 15.4 per cent.

Researchers warned this pay disparity results in women being forced to wait 56 days before they begin to earn money – with the union labelling this Friday “Women’s Pay Day”.

Gender pay gaps were found to be even starker in certain areas of the UK, resulting in women having to work for even longer for free each year.

The study discovered women in the southeast “effectively” have to work for free for 69 days and their payday isn’t until 9 March.

While women in the southwest and the east Midlands must wait until the beginning of March to start earning money this year. Researchers argued “regional variations” in the amount of money women take home are likely to be triggered by differences in industries across the country.

The report found the gender pay gap still exists in sectors where women are heavily represented such as social care and education – with women making much less money per hour on average than their male counterparts as they are more likely to be in less well-paid positions or part-time roles.

Researchers found the gender gap was as high as 25.4 per cent in the education sector, while it was 18.3 per cent in health and social work roles. But the gender pay disparity was highest in finance and insurance - hitting 32.3 per cent.

Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), said: “It’s shocking that working women still don’t have pay parity. At current rates of progress, it will take nearly 30 more years to close the gender pay gap.

“It’s clear that just publishing gender pay gaps isn’t enough. Companies must be required to explain what steps they’ll take to close their gender pay gaps – and bosses who don’t comply with the law should be fined.”

Ms O’Grady argued the last two years have demonstrated workplaces can go further in supporting women to juggle childcare and caring for relatives with their paid work.

“Flexible working is vital to mums keeping their jobs and progressing at work and is our best chance of closing the gender pay gap,” she added. “All jobs must be advertised with the possible flexible options clearly stated, and all workers must have the legal right to work flexibly from their first day in a job.”

She warned the gender pay gap shoots up “dramatically” when women have children as she demanded greater money is pumped into “affordable, good quality childcare to support working parents – along with better wages and recognition for childcare workers”.

Ms O’Grady added: “And both parents need to be able to share childcare more easily. Without better rights to well-paid leave, mums will continue to take on the lion-share of caring responsibilities – and continue to take a financial hit.

“We need a complete overhaul of the shared parental leave system. It's not an affordable option for most working families. Dads need leave they can take in their own right. It shouldn't rely on mums giving up some of their maternity leave.”

The research also unearthed “generational gender pay gaps” – with pay disparity greater for older women.

It comes after a report recently found progress on gender equality is moving at “glacial” speed, with women making up less than a third of the top jobs in the UK.

The study, carried out by the Fawcett Society, the UK’s leading gender equality charity, found women of colour are under-represented at the highest levels in a vast range of sectors.

Researchers discovered women are wholly absent from senior roles such as Supreme Court justices, FTSE 100 chief executives, metro mayors, and police and crime commissioners.