Public Sector Spending

Women outnumbered: only 20 percent of high earners are female

Despite legislation and years of campaigning women are not smashing through the public sector glass ceiling.

Among the high-earners working for public bodies men still dominate, outnumbering women by four to one. The gender divide becomes even sharper among those earning over £200,000 where men outnumber women by eight to one.

The fire service, hardly surprisingly, is the most male dominated sector with women making up only seven per cent of top earners.

But more shocking is the revelation that in schools and universities there are six men for every woman in the £100,000 plus pay bracket.

The highest paid woman in the public sector is Jana Bennett, Director of Vision at the BBC, who is also the second highest paid public servant. But her achievement is rare.

Poor numbers

Even in central government, where there has been a concerted drive to reduce the gender divide, only 23 per cent of those earning more than £100,000 are women.

In local government this falls to 20 percent. In the judiciary too men out-number women by four to one. But among the highest earners in court – those making more than £200,000,- there is only one woman, Lady Hale, Justice of the Supreme Court.

Gender pay imbalance

Gender pay inequality is a theme that recurs across the whole of the public sector. The BBC has the best ratio, with women making up 37 percent of those earning over £100,000.

In the NHS men outnumber women four to one at the top of the pay scale earning an average of £6,527 more.

Of those in the health sector earning over £200,000 the gender split is a staggering 13 to one, with men earning on average £5,128 more than their female colleagues.

What next?

During the election campaign Conservative leader David Cameron spoke scathing about the rising gender pay inequality, calling for a comprehensive review.

A government commissioned study is now being carried out by a team headed by the former Observer Editor Will Hutton.

Related links:

• Healthy pay in the NHS
• Bureau Recommends: NHS Trust may not be able to pay staff
• Public Sector Spending: Is Labour really ‘not to blame for the deficit’?
• Council chiefs ignore calls to cut their salaries
• Investigation shows that more than 38,000 government workers earn over £100,000