Gender Pay Gap Widens and 10% of Employers Fail to Report 

Despite growing pressure on businesses to improve on gender pay, analysis of employer’s submissions to the gender pay gap reporting service evidence 1 in 10 employers failed to submit their 2020-21 gender pay gap. This marks a 6.6% drop in the number of employers to use the reporting service.  
The significant drop in the number of employers reporting their gender pay is partially explained by COVID-19 because gender pay reporting was not enforced during 2019-20. Given this, a fall in the number of employers using the service to report on their gender pay in the year 2020-21 was perhaps to be expected. 
Despite the difficulties posed by COVID-19, Charles Cotton policy adviser for reward and recognition at the CIPD stresses the importance of complying with these regulations: ‘women have been adversely and disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and now is not a time to be taking the foot off the pedal when it comes to equality in the workplace’. 
Analysis shows that, of those who did report on the gender pay gap, 7,572 reported a pay gap which favoured men, 1,286 had a gap favouring women and 770 reported no pay gap. 
To stay up to date with the latest law-related news, case studies and updates to our services, please sign up to our monthly newsletter.