Shortchanged | The £5,000 price tag of being a woman at work

By Ruth Healey, President of Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI)

Every day in Britain, women workers do the same job as men and are, quite literally, shortchanged.

Based on the average UK salary of £36,972, the current 13.1% gender pay gap means we earn almost £5,000 less a year.

That’s enough to pay for several months’ childcare, six months average rent or the fees for a part-time degree course.

This isn’t just a case of daylight robbery – it’s workplace robbery.

What makes these kinds of figures even more infuriating is that 55 years ago a piece of powerful legislation was passed to iron out pay inequality.

The Equal Pay Act came into force in 1970 and whilst we’ve started to slowly close the gender pay gap, it’s estimated it could take another 45 years until women have pay parity.

In total, we will have waited 100 years for an Act designed to stamp out inequality achieves its objective.

How is this acceptable?

The figures listed above are based on averages but there are sectors in which women experience even greater pay discrimination.

I’ve worked much of my career in finance. I’ve seen how few women achieve managerial positions and how career breaks and caring responsibilities have affected women’s progress.

In the financial sector, UK women earn a staggering 29.8% less than men in the same sector. That’s a staggering 109 days where women effectively work for free.

In information and communication roles, the gender pay gap stands at 16.7%, so the average woman in this sector works for free for 61 days.

Whilst gender pay gap reporting is now mandatory for firms with over 250 employees, more needs to be done to hold smaller firms to account.

Companies with more than 250 employees make up just 0.2% of the UK business community yet SME’s – which are the backbone of the UK economy – employ 16.6 million people, representing around 60% of total private sector employment,

I sincerely hoped that the Employment Rights Bill, which is expected to receive Royal Assent this summer and comes into force in 2026, would mandate SMEs to report on gender pay inequality but a precious opportunity has been missed.

It’s encouraging that the Bill will force larger businesses to publish annual Gender Equality Action Plans – and I’m pleased that the government has plans to extend pay gap reporting in larger firms to include ethnicity and disability – but more needs to be done.

It’s also heartening that the Employment Rights Bill will introduce a right to sick pay from day one and the banning of zero-hours contracts that disproportionally affect women.

Yes, it’s a step in the right direction but it’s only a step in what is currently a 55-year marathon.

Pay disparity among ethnic groups is even more stark when one looks at the figures. Black African women earn 26% less than men and Pakistani women experience a 31% imbalance.

At Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI), we work collectively to ensure progression of all women and are deeply committed to supporting women from diverse backgrounds.

SIGBI has UN consultative status and 3,705 members in the United Kingdom. Together, through our network of groups, we’re focused on empowering women and girls of all ages to achieve their full potential.

We campaign, we lobby, and we support those facing the greatest barriers including in the workplace.

For 54 years, our Diamond Education Grant has issued grants allowing women to secure new qualifications, boost their career opportunities and aid their economic independence.

It’s one of many initiatives which brings our charitable objectives to life and these types of interventions are being quietly delivered by charities and trusts across the UK.

The charity sector is giving women the financial and emotional support to progress, whether this is through accessing funds which support high-quality education or by  passing on skills to help women progress in the workplace or communities.

This is work that the government and employers should be leading on, however.

Our relentless work will continue but there needs to be much greater resolve in central and local government – and within the UK business community – to turn small steps into giant strides.

There must be a realisation across the board that gender pay equality doesn’t just benefit women – it leads to fairer, more transparent workplaces and broader equality.

Parity isn’t just a women’s issue and never has been. It’s a fairness issue and one that is taking far too long to resolve.


ABOUT SIGBI

Soroptimist International Great Britain & Ireland (SIGBI), a registered women’s charity founded in 1934, is part of Soroptimist International, a global organisation formed in 1921, born out of the service movement. 

The organisation – which has consultancy status at the United Nations – focuses on empowering women and girls to achieve their full potential and works to eliminate barriers and discriminations that hinder women’s progress. 

The charity does this through its 248 clubs throughout the UK, Ireland, Malta, Asia and the Caribbean – over 200 of which are in the UK – and currently has a total of 5,150 members. 

SIGBI club members are part of a global movement, Soroptimist International, and are united by a desire to advance the lives of women and girls. 


About the author

Ruth Healey is the President of the women’s charity, Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI). 

She has been the President of SIGBI since 2023, but her journey as a Soroptimist started in 1970, when her mother volunteered Ruth to help with her local club. 

She officially joined SI Surrey Hills in 2003, and prior to standing for President, Ruth held many roles across the charity, including Club President, Regional President, and Finance Director of SIGBI. 

Her grandmother, mother, two aunts and two cousins have also all been Soroptimists, spanning almost the entire centenary, so it’s truly a family affair. 

Born in Cardiff, Ruth went on to study Accountancy at The University of Sheffield and is a qualified Chartered Management Accountant.

With her 30 years’ experience in the business world – having worked as a Finance Director for many businesses with turnovers ranging from £500k to £50m – Ruth brings a wealth of professional knowledge and experience to SIGBI and continues to bring meaningful change and innovation to the organisation. 

She is passionate about making positive change for women and girls and is incredibly proud of what the charity has achieved over the last 100 years. 

And when she’s not volunteering, Ruth enjoys sailing all over the world. 

Ruth’s presidency will run until November 2025. 

SIGBI has 248 clubs throughout the UK, Ireland, Malta, Asia and the Caribbean – over 200 of which are in the UK – and has a total of 5,150 members. 

Ruth’s LinkedIn

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