Gender pay gap reporting 2023-4: what’s required?

Published

Author

Read time
5 mins

From the snapshot date and reporting deadline, to where to view other employers’ reports, here’s everything you need to know about gender pay gap reporting

We answer some of the most common questions about gender pay gap reports, their effectiveness so far in reducing gender pay inequality, and the prospect of the requirements being extended to a wider group of employers. 

Does my organisation have to report its gender pay gap?

The gender pay gap reporting requirements apply to private- and voluntary-sector organisations with a headcount of 250 or more employees at the ‘snapshot date’ of 5 April 2023, and most public-sector organisations with 250 employees or more at 31 March 2023. Acas has guidance to help you determine if the requirements apply to you. 

What is the snapshot date for the 2023/24 round of gender pay gap reporting?

The snapshot dates are:

  • 5 April 2023 for private companies and charities
  • 31 March 2023 for public-sector organisations 

When do the 2023/24 gender pay gap reports have to be submitted?

You must report and publish your gender pay gap information within one calendar year of your snapshot date. So for private companies and charities the gender pay gap deadline is 5 April 2024, and public-sector organisations must report by 31 March 2024. 

Can the data be submitted earlier than the deadline date?

Yes, gender pay gap reports can be submitted any time after the snapshot data, up to and including the deadline date. Many organisations opt to publish their reports in the final days before the deadline; the day before the reporting deadline in March 2023, Personnel Today reported that only around 5,500 employers had submitted their 2022-23 data. More than 10,500 employers are expected to file their gender pay gap reports annually.

What data has to be submitted?

The gender pay gap reporting requirements are:

  • Their mean gender pay gap
  • Their median gender pay gap
  • Their mean bonus gender pay gap
  • Their median bonus gender pay gap
  • The proportion of men who receive a bonus payment
  • The proportion of women who receive a bonus payment
  • The proportion of men and women in each quartile pay band 

How do I calculate this data?

The government website has advice about how to calculate the required figures. Good HR systems should be able to calculate this data for you automatically. You may also want to ask your payroll and HR software provider for support. 

Where do I submit my organisation’s gender pay gap?

You must submit your organisation’s data via the UK government’s website.

You also need to publish the data and any supporting narrative you have written in an accessible place on your organisation’s website. 

Where can I view and compare data about organisations’ gender pay gaps?

You can browse reports by employer, and compare organisations’ data, on the UK government’s website. 

Is the reporting leading to positive change in gender pay gaps?

The most recent data currently available is for 2021-22, when the average gender pay gap of all firms that reported their information was 9.4% – the same as in 2017-18, the first year that they were legally required to report that information. In contrast, a September 2021 survey of UK workers by Ciphr found that most people – 59% of women and 52% of men – perceive no pay gap at the organisation they work for. 

What are the penalties for failing to report on your gender pay gap?

It is unlawful to fail to report your gender pay gap information accurately within one year of the snapshot date. Employers that fail to report on time, or report inaccurate information, risk facing enforcement action from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). This action may include court orders and fines. Your organisation may also suffer reputational damage from failing to comply with the requirements; the gender pay gap service highlights employers that fail to report in a timely manner.

Will smaller organisations, with fewer than 250 employees, ever have to report their gender pay gap reports?

In August 2018, the Parliamentary Business, Energy and Industry Strategy (BEIS) committee called for gender pay gap reporting to be widened to include all companies with more than 50 employees. To date, the committee’s recommendations have not been implemented. However, preparing a voluntary report could be a prudent option for companies that are set to grow in employee size to more than 250 people by the next snapshot date. 

Will the government ever require organisations to report on other facets of diversity, such as ethnicity?

Various consultations and petitions related to reporting ethnicity, disability and class pay gaps have, so far, failed to result in any further pay reporting requirements being imposed on UK employers. However, from 2020, certain large UK organisations have been required to publish their executive pay ratios.

This article was first published in January 2019. It has been updated periodically thereafter, most recently in March 2023.

 

Need help calculating your gender pay gap reports? Call us on 01628 814242 or contact us now to find out how our HR software can quickly and easily calculate this data for you