Racial pay gap lengthening as employees gain better qualifications

-

diploma300

Workers with degrees who identify as black, African, Caribbean, or black British earn 23 per cent less than their white counterparts on average, according to analysis from the TUC.

In contrast ‘unqualified’ workers – those more likely to be in jobs at, or close to, the minimum wage – earn “virtually” the same amount irrespective of their ethnicity.

But the racial pay gap widens as people attain higher levels of education, with black graduates earning £4.33 an hour less than a white employee with a degree.

HRreview Logo

Get our essential weekday HR news and updates.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Keep up with the latest in HR...
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

 

TUC analysis of the ONS Labour Force Survey figures found that the ethnicity pay gap is at its widest at degree level.

Black workers with A-levels earn 14.3 per cent less on average than their white counterparts. At GCSE level, black employees typically get paid 11.4 per cent less than their white peers.

The pay gap between white workers and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) employees, regardless of education, stands at 5.6 per cent. While the gap for black workers is much higher at 12.8 per cent.

Rebecca joined the HRreview editorial team in January 2016. After graduating from the University of Sheffield Hallam in 2013 with a BA in English Literature, Rebecca has spent five years working in print and online journalism in Manchester and London. In the past she has been part of the editorial teams at Sleeper and Dezeen and has founded her own arts collective.

Latest news

Sustainable business starts with people, not HR policies

Why long-term success depends on supporting employees, not just meeting ESG targets, with practical steps for leaders to build healthier organisations.

Hiring steadies but Gulf crisis threatens recovery in UK jobs market

UK hiring shows signs of stabilising, but rising global uncertainty linked to the Gulf crisis is weighing on employer confidence and delaying recovery.

Women ‘face career setback’ risk with flexible working

Female staff using remote or reduced-hour arrangements more likely to move into lower-status roles, raising concerns about bias in career progression.

Jo Kansagra: Make work benefits work for Gen Z

Gen Z employees are entering the workforce at full steam, and yet many workplace benefits schemes are firmly stuck in the past.
- Advertisement -

Union access plans risk straining workplace relations, CIPD warns

Proposed rules on workplace access raise concerns about employer readiness and operational strain.

Petra Wilton on managers struggling with new workplace laws

“Managers are not being given the tools they need to fully understand how the rules of the workplace are changing.”

Must read

Amanda Childs: How can you increase employee retention?

"As hybrid and remote working continue to rise in popularity, a healthy workplace culture is more important than ever."

Dawn Sillett: Seven traps for newly promoted managers – and how to stay out of them

You’ve been promoted – congratulations! I hope you take...
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you