Annual survey of hours and earnings: 2024

Summary of earnings statistics from the annual survey of hours and earnings (ASHE) published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).


Gender Pay Gap

The gender pay gap is calculated as the difference between the median hourly earnings (excluding overtime) for men and women as a proportion of the median hourly earnings (excluding overtime) for men.

Gender Pay Gap by Employment Type, Scotland and UK, 2024

In 2024, the gender pay gap for full-time employees in Scotland was 2.2 per cent and in the UK was 7.0 per cent.

Figure 3: Scotland has a narrower gender pay gap for full-time and all employees than the UK in 2024

Gender Pay Gap for Median Gross Hourly Earnings (excluding overtime) by Employment Type, Scotland and UK, 2024

Source: Scottish Government Analysis of Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), ONS

Notes:

1. Estimates for 2024 data are provisional.

2. Employees are on adult rates, pay is unaffected by absence

3. Figures represent the difference between men's and women's hourly earnings (excluding overtime) as a percentage of men's hourly earnings (excluding overtime).

4. Full-time is defined as employees working more than 30 paid hours per week (or 25 or more for the teaching professions).

5. Part-time is defined as employees working less than or equal to 30 paid hours per week (or less than 25 hours for the teaching professions).

Gender Pay Gap for Median Full-Time Hourly Earnings (excluding overtime), Scotland and UK

The gender pay gap for both Scotland and the UK has typically been narrowing over time.

The gender pay gap in Scotland has been narrower than in the UK since 2003.

In 2024, the gender pay gap for full-time employees in Scotland widened from 1.4 per cent in 2023 to 2.2 per cent in 2024. This is due to men’s hourly earnings (excluding overtime) increasing at a faster rate than women’s hourly earnings (excluding overtime).

The gender pay gap in the UK narrowed from 7.5 per cent in 2023 to 7.0 per cent in 2024.

Figure 4: The gender pay gap has been narrowing over time for Scotland and the UK

Gender Pay Gap for Median Gross Hourly Earnings (excluding overtime) for full-time employees, Scotland and UK, April 1997 to 2024

Source: Scottish Government Analysis of Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), ONS

Notes:

1. Estimates for 2024 data are provisional.

2. Employees are on adult rates, pay is unaffected by absence unless furloughed

3. Figures represent the difference between men's and women's hourly earnings (excluding overtime) as a percentage of men's hourly earnings (excluding overtime).

4. Full-time is defined as employees working more than 30 paid hours per week (or 25 or more for the teaching professions).

5. Dashed lines represent discontinuities in 2006, 2011 and 2021 ASHE estimates. Discontinuity in 2021 is due to change in occupational coding from SOC 2010 to SOC 2020.

6. Due to methodological changes, data for 2023 and 2024 might not be directly comparable to data for 2022 and earlier years.

7. Data for 2020 and 2021 are subject to more uncertainty and should be treated with caution because of the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the data and collection. 

Contact

For enquiries about this publication please contact:

Labour Market Statistics,
Office of the Chief Economic Adviser
Telephone: 0131 244 6773,
E-mail: LMStats@gov.scot

For general enquiries about Scottish Government statistics please contact:

Office of the Chief Statistician
E-mail: statistics.enquiries@gov.scot

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