NORTHERN Ireland the smallest gender pay gap of any UK region, according to a new report produced by PwC.
The Women in Work Index put the north’s gender pay gap at 4.7 per cent, well below the UK average of 14.4 per cent.
It helped take Northern Ireland to the top of the overall UK table for women’s employment outcomes.
Using data from 2021, PwC’s index compared the performance of 12 UK regions under five headings.
Alongside the gender pay gap, Northern Ireland ranked number one for its low female unemployment rate (3.1 per cent) and second for the table measuring the 'male and female gap' in the labour force (5.5 per cent).
In terms of its ‘female full-time employment rate’, 64.3 per cent was third best.
It lifted Northern Ireland up three places to number one spot of the Women in Work Index, overtaking the south west of England, which had topped the table for the previous three years.
But, while Northern Ireland scored highly in four areas, its female labour force participation rate of 70.3 per cent was lowest of the 12 regions assessed, and well below the UK average of 75 per cent.
Cat McCusker, regional market leader at PwC NI, said: “While it is positive that the outcomes for women once they enter the labour market in Northern Ireland - in terms of pay and secure full-time jobs - are much better than other regions, the fact remains that a lower proportion of working age women enter the labour market here in the first place.”
She said it raises the likelihood of “significant hidden pockets” of talent here, including women who have not been active in the labour market.
“We need to consider how we can revitalise our working population by getting more women and men into the workforce here in the first place,” said the regional market leader.
“This is a question of equity but also a pertinent economic issue as NI faces labour and skill shortages.”
While she said there is no ‘one size fits all policy’ that will solve the problems for women at work today, Ms McCusker said: “The cost of - and attitudes towards - childcare needs urgent focus and action, with government and business working together to help mitigate the confluence of shocks - including Covid-19 and the rising cost of living - that have occurred over the last few years so that women are not priced out of the workforce.
“For many it is more affordable to leave work than remain in employment and pay for childcare, especially for families at lower income levels.
“We should consider enhanced parental leave policies and more flexible working so that all parents can balance work and caring responsibilities, alongside tackling the cost of childcare, to help create a more equitable and prosperous society for all.”
