Theresa May urges FIVE MILLION small firms to publish gender pay in a bid to close the gap
Downing Street now wants companies with fewer than 250 employees should 'voluntarily publish their pay gap too'
THERESA MAY last night urged Britain’s army of FIVE MILLION small firms to publish the rates they pay men and women.
The Prime Minister said a “step change” was needed to close the gender pay gap.
Large firms will by law have to publish the difference in pay for male and female staff – as well as bonus data – by April 2018.
But Downing Street now wants companies with fewer than 250 employees should “voluntarily publish their pay gap too”.
There are an estimated 5.5 million small and medium sized firms in the UK.
The PM’s move comes just 24 hours after official figures revealed women in full-time roles on average earn 9.1 per cent less than men.
But overall the pay gap has gone UP marginally to 18.4 per cent.
The Prime Minister said: “Tackling injustices like the gender pay gap is part of building a country that works for everyone.
“We need to see a real step change in the number of companies publishing their gender pay data and offering progression and flexibility for all employees.
“That’s why I am today calling on more businesses, both small and large, to take action to make sure the gender pay gap is eliminated once and for all.”
The gender pay gap has come down from 21.9 per cent a decade ago.
More than a quarter of board members at Britain’s biggest 100 firms are now women – up from 12.5 per cent in 2011.
TUC chief Frances O’Grady last night urged the PM to be “harder” on employers.
She stormed: “The gender pay gap will continue closing at a snail’s pace unless the Government comes down much harder on employers.
“This announcement is a damp squib that will have little impact.
“Companies should be forced to publish their pay gaps – not merely encouraged.”
