UK Gender Pay Gap to Close in 2056, TUC Analysis Shows

A new analysis by the Trades Union Congress has found that the UK's gender pay gap will not close until 2056 at the current rate of progress, leaving women effectively working 47 days a year without pay compared to men. The report, released this week, highlights a persistent disparity equivalent to £2,548 annually for the average female worker, based on official pay data.

The TUC's assessment puts the overall gender pay gap at 12.8 percent, meaning women do not begin earning relative to men until mid-February each year. This figure encompasses both full-time and part-time workers, differing from the Office for National Statistics' narrower measure of 6.9 percent for full-time employees in April 2025, which showed a slight decline from 7.1 percent the previous year. The TUC analysis projects that closing the gap entirely could take another 30 years, affecting women across all career stages.

Variations in the pay gap are stark by industry. In education, where women often form the majority of the workforce, the disparity reaches 17 percent, translating to 62 unpaid days annually. The finance and insurance sector shows the widest gap at 27.2 percent, or 99 unpaid days, with women...