Women working in UK financial services are earning nearly £40,000 less than their male counterparts, with a widening gap in both overall and hourly pay.
New figures show women earn around 30 percent less overall and 25 percent less per hour, revealing persistent disparities across the sector despite ongoing scrutiny of pay practices.
It comes as overall compensation in financial services has declined globally, raising further questions about pay fairness and long-term earning potential.
Hourly gap widens despite similar working hours
The disparity remains significant even when adjusted for working time. Men in the UK work slightly longer hours on average, but the difference does not account for the scale of the gap.
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Men earn the equivalent of £68.66 per hour compared to £54.78 for women, meaning male professionals are paid 25 percent more per hour, up from 21 percent the previous year.
This suggests the gap is not simply a function of hours worked, but reflects deeper structural differences in pay and progression across the industry.
Global pay trends add pressure on fairness
The data comes from eFinancialCareers, a global careers platform focused on the financial services sector, based on a survey of more than 2,600 professionals.
It shows that total compensation across global financial services fell by more than 2 percent in 2025, despite strong profits across the industry. While bonuses increased by 5 percent, this was not enough to offset declines in base salaries.
Globally, the gender pay gap is even more pronounced, with men earning significantly more than women across both total compensation and hourly pay.
Peter Healey, chief executive of eFinancialCareers, said the figures reflected a persistent imbalance in the sector.
“The latest figures highlight a clear and persistent gender pay gap in financial services, particularly in the UK, where men are earning significantly more than their female colleagues both overall and on an hourly basis,” he said.
“We know a major hurdle is lack of representation of females in senior positions. Our data shows that the disparity becomes more acute at senior levels.”
UK professionals trail North America
The report also highlights a widening gap between the UK and North America. Financial services professionals in the US and Canada earn around 20 percent more on average than those in the UK and Ireland, with the difference particularly stark at junior levels.
At the same time, professionals in the UK and Ireland report lower levels of both physical and mental health, despite working broadly similar hours.
Healey said the combination of falling pay and widening disparities raised concerns for employers.
“This combination of declining salaries, uneven bonus growth and widening disparities makes it more important than ever for firms to focus on fairness, transparency and long-term retention strategies.
“Ensuring that compensation reflects both performance and equality is not only essential for attracting and retaining talent, but also for building a sustainable and inclusive financial services industry”
The data suggests that financial services firms may face increasing challenges in attracting and retaining talent, particularly as global competition intensifies and pay gaps remain unresolved.
Lower overall compensation, combined with disparities in pay and wellbeing, risks undermining the sector’s ability to compete for skilled professionals in an increasingly competitive international market.
William Furney is a Managing Editor at Black and White Trading Ltd based in Kingston upon Hull, UK. He is a prolific author and contributor at Workplace Wellbeing Professional, with over 127 published posts covering HR, employee engagement, and workplace wellbeing topics. His writing focuses on contemporary employment issues including pension schemes, employee health, financial struggles affecting workers, and broader workplace trends.
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
