Back

Open data

Data about how council money is spent, our income, how staff are paid, trade unions and the gender pay gap.

Gender pay gap

From 2021 to 2022 there was a small movement in favour of men in ordinary pay. Changes in the proportions of men and women in the two lower pay quartiles show this.

In the area of bonus pay, there have been significant changes in 2021 to 2022. The main reasons for this were:

  1. An end to bonus payments in two business units that have mostly male workforce.

  2. The rise in welcome and retention payments for social worker jobs. This area has a mostly female workforce.

Headline numbers

  • Difference in mean hourly rate of pay: -5.50% (2020 to 2021: -7.49%, 2019 to 2020: -6.62%)
  • Difference in median hourly rate of pay: -7.77% (2020 to 2021: -10.79%, 2019 to 2020: -10.02%)
  • Difference in mean bonus bay: -0.19% (2020 to 2021: 93.42%, 2019 to 2020: 91.84%)
  • Difference in median bonus pay: -152.63% (2020 to 2021: 89.79%, 2019 to 2020: 90.68%)
  • Proportion of male employees who were paid a bonus: 4.62% (2020 to 2021: 4.91%, 2019 to 2020 4.53%)
  • Proportion of female employees who were paid a bonus: 3.20% (2020 to 2021: 1.37%, 2019 to 2020: 1.21%)

Quartile distribution

Male 21/22 (20/21, 19/20)

Female 21/22 (20/21, 19/20)

Upper (highest pay)

47.84% (47.25%, 48.86%)

52.16% (52.75%, 51.14%)

Upper middle

41.35% (40.86%, 40.34%)

58.65% (59.14%, 59.66%)

Lower middle

42.46% (40.95%, 41.63%)

57.54% (59.05%, 58.37%)

Lower (lowest pay)

65.29% (69.31%, 70.12%)

34.71% (30.69%, 29.88%)

From 2021 to 2022, men's pay rose slightly. The mean hourly rate increased by 1.99% to -5.50%. The median hourly rate increased by 2.89% to -7.90%. This is due mainly to a rise in men in the lower middle quartile (up 1.51% to 42.46%). Also, fewer men are in the lower quartile (down 4.02% to 65.29%).

In bonus pay, as noted there have been significant changes. The difference in mean bonus pay decreased by 93.61% to -0.19% and the median bonus pay decreased by 242.42% to -152.63%. Also, the number of women receiving bonus pay is up 1.83%. Meanwhile, fewer men are getting bonuses.

The reason behind this is due to several factors. Welcome and retention bonuses for social workers have increased. This has slightly favoured women due to gender demographics. But, it has significantly raised the median and mean payments to women. Women's bonuses are mainly tied to these and to long service awards paid within the workforce.

Male bonuses are more diverse. In building and SMS jobs, bonuses favour men due to the gender demographics. The council's decision to end bonuses in these areas has affected men more, reducing the pay gaps.

The company briefly paid these bonuses in Q1 of 2022 to 2023, but has now ended them. So, long-term bonus payments will focus on awards for service. They will also include 'welcome and retention' bonuses for social workers. Median and mean pay should favour female employees in social work, due to its gender demographics.