Women in banking and finance earn 22% less than male colleagues

Eight out of ten UK businesses pay men more than women, with a national wage difference of 9.4%, according to a new study.

The BBC survey, based on the difference in pay between the middle-ranking woman and the middle-ranking man, remains at the same level as five years ago, at almost 10% – despite efforts to promote gender equality in business.

The largest difference surfaced from the banking and finance industries, where women earn on average 22% less than their male colleagues – the gap only decreased by 0.5% over the past five years.

The data comes from 13,992 employers, publishing their gender pay gap figures online, in a government initiative to make companies more transparent around pay.

Major corporations, such as easyJet, Lloyds Bank and Savills, were identified as the primary culprits for the difference – appearing to set unambitious targets for getting women into senior positions.

Other traditionally male-dominated sectors, such as construction, have narrowed the gap by 2.7%, better than most technology companies, which saw women earn 78p for every pound a man earns.