Background

Gender pay gap calculations are based on employer payroll data drawn from a specific date each year. This specific date is called the ‘snapshot date’. If you are an employer who has a headcount of 250 or more on their ‘snapshot date’ you must comply with regulations on gender pay gap reporting. This requires employers to annually report and publish specific figures about their gender pay gap.

Employers that are required to report and publish their gender pay gap information must both:

• report and publish their gender pay gap information within a year following their ‘snapshot date’. This applies for each year that employers have a headcount of 250 or more on their snapshot date

• report their gender pay gap information to the government online, using the Gender pay gap service

• publish their gender pay gap information (and written statement if applicable) in a prominent place on their employer’s public-facing website

You may also publish a supporting narrative and an action plan to help explain your gender pay gap and the actions you plan to take. This is discretionary.

Employers can report and publish their gender pay gap information at any time before the deadline.

If you have a headcount of fewer than 250 on your snapshot date, you are not required to comply with the regulations but should give serious consideration to the business benefits of doing so. Find out who counts as an employee.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission can enforce any failure to comply with the regulations.

The gender pay gap figures you must report

You must calculate, report and publish these gender pay gap figures:

1. percentage of men and women in each hourly pay quarter
2. mean (average) gender pay gap using hourly pay
3. median gender pay gap using hourly pay
4. percentage of men and women receiving bonus pay
5. mean (average) gender pay gap using bonus pay
6. median gender pay gap using bonus pay

Find out what data you will need to gather and how to make your gender pay gap calculations.

You must use the government’s Gender pay gap service to:

• report your gender pay gap figures
• submit your written statement if your employer must follow the regulations for private, voluntary and all other public authority employer regulations

You must also publish your gender pay gap report (and written statement if applicable) in a prominent place on your employer’s public facing website.

You may also publish a supporting narrative and an action plan to help explain your gender pay gap. This is discretionary.

Benefits of early reporting and publishing your gender pay gap information

You should add gender pay gap reporting into a sensible point of your reporting cycle and aim to report and publish your gender pay gap information as soon after the snapshot date as is reasonable to do.

Benefits of reporting and publishing soon after your snapshot date include:

• being seen as a leader in your sector which could have positive impacts on recruitment, retention and contract awards
• the data you require to calculate your gender pay gap may be more easily accessed
• better able to manage key employees that are needed to prepare your submission
• any unexpected issues or complications can be tackled earlier on
• early analysis of your gender pay gap can mean early action to tackle any pay gaps identified

More information on what to report, how and by when can be found here.