Ryan FowlerA recent study conducted by Claims.co.uk, using data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), has revealed the occupations with the largest gender pay gaps in the UK. The study focused on the median hourly earnings of men and women across various professions to identify where the pay discrepancies are most pronounced.
At the top of the list are barristers and judges, where women earn £8.31 less per hour than men, translating to a 29.1% pay gap. Following closely are financial managers and directors, with women in these roles earning £11.56 less per hour than their male counterparts, resulting in a 28.8% pay gap.
Web design professionals rank third, experiencing a 27.7% gap, with women earning £6.32 less per hour. Production, factory, and assembly supervisors have the fourth largest gap, with women earning 26% less, or £4.46 less per hour. Vehicle technicians, mechanics, and electricians also see significant disparities, with a 22.4% pay gap.
Education managers and nursery education teaching professionals see gaps of 22% and 21.2%, respectively, indicating widespread issues across both high-paying, prestigious roles and more traditionally male-dominated fields.
A spokesperson for Claims.co.uk commented on the results: “It is interesting to see a significant gender pay gap across the ranking; it is especially prevalent in more traditionally male-orientated occupations, such as assemblers, vehicle technicians, mechanics, and electricians. Nonetheless, findings from this study also revealed that high-paying and prestigious roles like barristers, judges, and finance directors shockingly had the largest gender pay gaps in 2023. Perhaps in 2024, studies like this will raise awareness of the gender pay gap and precipitate change in these industries, starting with pay reviews.”
