A 'GENDER pay gap' sees women in Carlisle 'work more than one month for free', according to new data.

New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that full-time female workers in Carlisle earned an average of £15.05 per hour excluding overtime as of April 2022.

In the same time frame, their male counterparts earned an average of £16.53 per hour, meaning that the pay gap between the genders sits at 9 per cent.

This figures mean that by the end of the year, women will have 'effectively worked without pay' since Tuesday, November 29.

For part-time workers in Carlisle, men earned 0.9 per cent more than women.

This figures have been released ahead of Equal Pay Day which will be marked on Sunday, November 20 and according to Women's rights charity Fawcett Society, raising awareness of the pay gap is essential especially in the midst of the cost-of-living crisis.

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In Carlisle, managing director of the Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, Suzanne Caldwell, accepted that the pay gap did exist even after steps have been taken to close it.

She said: "Despite measures, such as introducing reporting requirements for large businesses, the gender pay gap does persist."

Ms Caldwell also detailed some of the reasons why she believes this gap exists.

She said: "One of the causes nationally is a higher proportion of men in more senior roles, this will take some time to work itself out of the system.

"Other causes include sector and role choices, and caring responsibilities. Again these are issues that take time to resolve but again you can look around the county and see women and girls making great strides in higher earning sectors and roles.

"Sadly part of the reason for a gap, despite the decades that legislation has been in place, is still some men being paid more than some women for the same role.

"This is not only wrong but illegal and needs to be stamped out once and for all," she continued.

Despite the persisting exsitence of this gender pay gap, Ms Caldwell believes that in Cumbria, steps are being made to close this gap and install equal pay across the board.

She said: "Closest to home, the whole of our Senior Management Team at the Chamber is female. Not through a choice to appoint that way, but because we’ve appointed the best candidates into the roles.

£And throughout the organisation we encourage both women and men to fulfil their potential and aspirations."

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