20th October 2008
New research published by Unum today reveals that substantial wage inequalities remain, with gender and age driving the disparities that exist across the nation’s 22 million full time workers.
According to Unum’s latest figures average full time earnings for a man (£30,035) are 32% higher than those for a woman (£22,773).
Across the nation, average earnings peak at 49 years of age, with the average 49 year old being paid £37,340 compared with the national average wage of £27,376 across all age groups.
But a worker will have to reach at least 29 years of age before they attain close to that average national wage – the average 21 year old earns just £16,502. And average salaries tail off for older workers, with the average 59 year old currently earning £26,771.
Unum, the UK’s leading disability insurer, conducted detailed research across all age groups of full time workers to get a clearer understanding of age and gender disparities. A summary of average age to average wage is provided in the table below:
| Age |
Average Wage |
Age |
Average Wage |
Age |
Average Wage |
| 19 |
15,744 |
34 |
27,289 |
49 |
37,340 |
| 20 |
12,672 |
35 |
29,280 |
50 |
36,555 |
| 21 |
16,502 |
36 |
29,654 |
51 |
34,758 |
| 22 |
18,793 |
37 |
25,701 |
52 |
28,258 |
| 23 |
17,708 |
38 |
30,871 |
53 |
28,908 |
| 24 |
19,408 |
39 |
26,470 |
54 |
29,326 |
| 25 |
21,725 |
40 |
27,346 |
55 |
27,051 |
| 26 |
23,961 |
41 |
28,029 |
56 |
26,067 |
| 27 |
21,459 |
42 |
31,478 |
57 |
27,598 |
| 28 |
24,403 |
43 |
25,719 |
58 |
29,741 |
| 29 |
28,201 |
44 |
28,760 |
59 |
26,771 |
| 30 |
25,187 |
45 |
35,602 |
60 |
31,157 |
| 31 |
25,112 |
46 |
26,432 |
|
|
| 32 |
28,957 |
47 |
27,838 |
|
|
| 33 |
30,708 |
48 |
28,916 |
|
|
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics – from the 2007 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings – state that the median weekly wage for full time working women was £394 (annual wage of £20,500), compared to £498 for men (£26,300 per annum). This is a difference of 28% between annual pay.
Commenting on the findings, Paul Davies, Unum’s Marketing and Business Development Director said:
Age and gender issues are still at the very heart of pay disparities across the country – the pay gap between the sexes even appears to be widening. Employers need to be careful and act swiftly to address gender and age inequalities as these can quickly lead to staff discontent and absence management issues.
Legislation is of course in place to protect both employers and employees but as the population continues to age, employers will need to review their workplace practices to ensure they are set up to cope with older staff.”
WorkMatters, a Unum Group company, offers a range of solutions to help manage workplace absence through illness, disability or injury – the key to maintaining a productive workforce.
WorkMatters specialises in providing clients with a critical assessment of their practices and policies in relation to absences. It also provides clients and their employees with a system to identify, reduce and manage absences due to illness, injury or disability.
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