Report shows gender pay gap for women contractors 

Women contractors are paid less per hour than men, according to a new study by umbrella company Parasol.

Women contractors are paid less per hour than men, according to a new study by umbrella company Parasol.

Parasol examined its base of almost 9,000 contractors as part of the new Parasol Insight Index, a new, bi-annual study into the umbrella contractor market, and found that the average hourly rate for male contractors is £34.41, compared with £32.91 for their female counterparts. Over the course of a working year this equates to a pay gap of £2,643.

The findings come following a recent report by the Chartered Management Institute which found that, on average, female managers earn £10,000 less than male managers doing the same job.

Commenting on the findings, Rob Crossland, Chief Executive at Parasol, said: “The findings clearly show that a gender gap exists in the contracting market which is a surprise. The reasons that the gap exists at a national level are the subject of much debate, with various parties citing aspects such as women taking a break from employment to have a family etc. However, I don’t believe this stands up when it comes to contracting. When an end-user employs a contractor it is based on them having the required skill set in order to satisfy the end users requirements. Surely it is the skill set and the market for this skill set that should set the rate, and contractor’s gender should not have an impact?”

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