Women in Leeds paid only 80 percent of what men earn – and this hasn’t changed since 2002

Data from the Office for National Statistics also shows the percentage pay gap between men and women in the city has barely changed in the past two decades.

The head of a network of women’s charities in Leeds has called the data ‘frustrating’, but added the city should see it as an opportunity to lead the way in equal pay.

According to ONS data, women working full time in Leeds earned on average £123-a-week less than their male counterparts in 2019.

It showed males working full time earned on average £613-a-week, while females only earned £490 – only 80 percent of the male total.

The numbers also show the percentage difference has remained unchanged since 2002, when the equivalent totals were £395 and £317.

Nik Peasgood is head of the Womens Lives Leeds, a network of 11 charities across the city which aims to give greater opportunities to women.

She said: “It’s something we see – women’s pay still seems to be comparatively low.

“It is really frustrating – it’s something we have started to look at and think about. We are wanting to bring it to the attention of policy-makers.”

Nik believes that in order to better understand the problem, more research was needed into what kind of workplaces had larger pay gaps.

“There are more women in board room levels than there were maybe 20 years ago,” she added. “But there seems to be little difference in the pay gap.

“Policy-makers need to be putting pressure on the organisations that do this, and that has to come down from government – there is no point in reporting on it if nothing happens.

“We would like to see that looked at, linking in with austerity and financial inclusion in Leeds, and we would like to see the national government take this forward.”

She added she believed the pay gap is likely to be even greater when ethnic minority females are factored into the pay gap.

The gap in Leeds is higher than the national average, as women working full time in the UK as a whole make just under 84 percent of males.

But Nik believes this could be an area where Leeds can lead the way, adding: “We are wanting to become a woman-friendly city – it would be good if this was something we could share with others in the UK.”

A study by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission in December 2018 found that many applicants were held back by ‘stereotypical’ attitudes to gender, and added that measures such as anonymised CVs and mixed-sex interview panels could be helpful.

It stated: “Attracting and retaining skilled people is vital for employers, but stereotypical attitudes about men and women’s abilities can often influence recruitment and promotion decisions.

“Fair and transparent policies together with training for staff will help mitigate

this. Understanding how recruitment and promotion practices affect men and women differently will help widen the talent pool and avoid discrimination.”