UK down on gender pay gap index

The UK’s high gender pay gap has seen it slip from 13th to 17th on a key international index of pay equality at work, the largest fall of any OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) country.

While the average pay gap across all 38 OECD countries is 13.5%, the UK’s rose from 14.3% in 2021 to 14.5% in 2022, meaning women effectively work two months every year without pay, according to analysis by the TUC. The increase saw the UK drop four places on the annual rankings compiled by consulting firm PwC.

Luxembourg topped the list, with a negative gap of -0.2%, followed by Iceland and Slovenia, while some countries, such as Australia, have seen their pay gap close.