UK’s gender pay gap ‘won’t close for 30 years’ at current rates

The Guardian World

by Rob Davies

February 15, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

The UK’s gender pay gap remains a significant issue, with women not being paid equally to men until 2056 at the current rate of progress, according to a report by the Trades Union Congress (TUC). The gender pay gap currently stands at £2,548 per year, meaning women effectively work for free for about six weeks each year. This disparity highlights a pressing need for legislative intervention to address the systemic inequalities that persist in the UK’s workplace. The gender pay gap is influenced by factors such as occupational segregation, where women are overrepresented in lower-paying industries and underrepresented in higher-paying sectors like finance or technology. Additionally, biases in hiring and promotion practices contribute to the gap, leaving women more likely to work in roles with limited career advancement opportunities. The TUC report underscores the urgent need for policies that promote gender equality, such as transparency in pay structures and measures to address workplace discrimination. The impact of the gender pay gap extends beyond individual earnings, affecting entire families and communities. Women are disproportionately represented in part-time or low-wage jobs, which limits their ability to achieve financial stability. Moreover, the burden of unpaid care work, often falling on women, further exacerbates economic inequalities. This systemic issue not only perpetuates poverty but also hinders social mobility across generations. The TUC has called for stronger legislation to close the gender pay gap, including measures to enforce equal pay laws and promote gender-neutral parental leave policies. Advocacy groups emphasize that addressing this disparity is crucial not just for fairness, but also for economic stability and growth. By closing the gender pay gap, the UK can unlock significant economic potential, as women’s full participation in the workforce has been shown to boost GDP and drive innovation. In a global context, the UK’s slow progress on closing the gender pay gap serves as a reminder of the broader challenges faced by many countries in

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Originally published on The Guardian World on 2/15/2026