Do you really know? Are men still being paid more than women?
Mar 6, 2026
Data shows a persistent 9.4% median pay gap in the UK, with public sector disparities larger than private. The conversation points to industry hotspots like banking, finance, construction and airlines. Policy ideas such as childcare, flexible working and returner programmes are discussed. Practical tips are offered on preparing and negotiating when you think you deserve higher pay.
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Median Gender Pay Gap Still 9.4 Percent
- Men still earn more than women for the same work with a median pay gap of 9.4% unchanged since 2017.
- At current rates progress is slow and closing the gap will take more than 20 years according to the podcast's data from the BBC.
Public Sector Gap Larger Than Private Sector
- The gap is larger in the public sector at 15.1% versus 8% in the private sector and shows little change year-to-year.
- Sectors like banking show extreme differences: women earn on average 22.1% less than male colleagues.
Industry Differences Are Extreme And Uneven
- Some industries have very wide and worsening gaps: construction women earn 78p per £1 and EasyJet shows just 53p per £1 for women.
- Health, social work and accommodation have the lowest median gap at 2%, while education worsened by 0.8%.