Shropshire women in full-time work earn more hourly than men

Women in full-time work now earn 4.7 per cent more hourly than their male counterparts, having earned 0.8 per cent less in 2018, Office for National Statistics data shows.

But women still take home an average annual salary of £28,200 – £2,156 less than the average man's salary of £30,356.

The average pay figures, for workers who live in Shropshire, are calculated using a median, rather than mean, average, to stop them being skewed by particularly small or large pay packets.

In Telford & Wrekin however the gap has continued to grow and stands at 16.2 per cent hourly in favour of men, compared to 13.4 per cent the year before.

The statistics show women in the borough take home an average annual salary of £24,472 – £7,417 less than the average man's salary of £31,889.

Powys however has followed Shropshire and seen women's hourly pay outstrip their male counterparts.

Women in the county earn four per cent more hourly than their male counterparts, having earned 0.3 per cent less in 2018.

Despite that they still take home an average annual salary of £23,450 – £6,325 less than the average man's salary of £29,775.

Difference

Across the UK, male workers in full-time jobs now earn 8.9 per cent more than their female counterparts.

This represents a slight rise from 8.6 per cent last year, the first increase in six years.

But ONS statistician Roger Smith said the national increase was not "statistically significant", adding it is too early to say if it marks a change in trend.

"We also saw an increase in 2013 followed by a return to downward trend in subsequent years," he added.

"However, the downward trend is a slow one regardless."

For people aged under 40, the wage gap for full-time employees is now "close to zero", the ONS said.

Yet it widens among 40 to 49 year olds to 11.4 per cent, stretching to more than 15 per cent among 50 to 59 year olds and those over 60 – a difference that is "not declining strongly over time".

The ONS attributes this to older women being "more likely" to work in lower-paid jobs than younger ones, and less likely to fill managerial roles.

In Shropshire, the difference in pay between male and female workers, including those in part-time jobs, decreased from 14.1 per cent in 2018 to 11.9 per cent this year.

This divide can partly be explained by the number of women working part-time.

Targets

An estimated 26,000 women in Shropshire were in part-time work last year, around 49 per cent of the female workforce, of the 55,000 working men, 8,000 (15 per cent) were in part-time work.

Nationally, the average gender pay gap is 17.3 per cent across all work patterns.

In Telford and Wrekin, the difference for both full and part time workers, increased from 21.2 per cent in 2018 to 23.4 per cent this year. The borough had an estimated 16,000 women in part-time work last year, around 44 per cent of the female workforce.

However, out of 30,000 working men, too few were in part-time work for the ONS to provide an estimate.

In Powys, the difference in pay between male and female workers, including those in part-time jobs, increased from 6.2 per cent in 2018 to 8.4 per cent this year.

There were an estimated 9,000 women in Powys who were in part-time work last year, around 45 per cent of the female workforce, but as with Telford, of the 16,000 working men, too few were in part-time work for the ONS to provide an estimate.

Gender equality charity the Fawcett Society called progress on closing the gender pay gap "dismally slow", adding that it would take 60 years to accomplish at the current rate.

Sam Smethers, the charity's chief executive, said: "Too many women are trapped in low paid part-time work or locked out of non-traditional sectors while others experience pay or pregnancy discrimination."

Equality and Human Rights Commission chief executive Rebecca Hilsenrath added: "As we enter the third year of reporting, the attention really needs to shift to action.

"It should be mandatory for employers to publish, alongside their pay gap data, plans with specific targets and deadlines."