New study highlights towns with the biggest gender pay gaps

According to Ciphr’s findings, most (88%) large towns and cities have a gender pay gap, and for over half (55%) that gender pay gap is 7% or higher for men than for women. 

This means that thousands of women working in full-time jobs in towns and cities across the UK – including major industrial and economic hubs like London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, and Bristol – are being paid less per hour than men on average. 

The study compared stats for over 150 of the UK’s most populated towns and cities to find out which places reported the biggest salary differences between men and women (based on the latest 2025 data). 

The town with the biggest gender pay gap, at 26.5%, is Bracknell in Berkshire – home to many well-known technology and science firms. Female employees working at organisations based here earn just 73p for every £1 a male employee makes on average. And when comparing annual salaries, this works out to a difference of about £14,065 a year. To put that in perspective, the UK’s gender pay gap is 6.9%. This is far from zero but considerably more equitable than Bracknell’s gender pay gap. 

Farnborough, known for its aerospace, defence and engineering industries, has the second biggest gender pay gap for full-time employees at 25.2%. This means women’s average hourly rates of pay are 25.2% less than men’s average hourly rates of pay. Organisations based here pay their male employees £44,596, which is above the UK average, while female employees are paid a below-average £32,339. That’s a £12,257 annual salary difference. 

The naval city of Portsmouth has the third biggest gender pay gap. Women working for organisations based here earn 22.1% less than men working for organisations based here. This is a salary difference of 78p per hour on average, or £11,120 per annum.

Fourth on the list is Stockport with a gender pay gap of 19.3%, followed by Tynemouth (19.1%), Telford (19%), Crawley (18.9%) and Derby (18.9%).

The towns where women are more likely to earn around the same as men include Wolverhampton (organisations based here average a -0.1% gender pay gap), Newport (-0.7%), Lincoln (0.8%) and South Shields (0.8%). While these areas may have the smallest pay gaps, they aren’t necessarily the most ‘competitive’ in terms of salary. 

Indeed, in almost all large towns and cities where the gender pay gap favours women, such as Maidstone, Blackpool, Darlington, Paignton, Rochdale, and Margate, both women's and men's median gross annual earnings are well below the UK averages.

Based solely on gross annual earnings for full-time workers, the towns and cities with the highest wages for women include London (£45,530), Reading (£42,991) and Cambridge (£42,527). They may pay more, but they still have gender pay gaps (of 10.7%, 16.8% and 5% respectively). This perhaps isn’t surprisingly, though, given that men typically out-earn women in almost every (95%) UK industry. 

Claire Hawes, chief people and operations officer at Ciphr, says: “These findings are just another reminder that the gender pay gap isn't just a national statistic. It's a very real, local issue affecting women's livelihoods in communities across the UK. 
 
“That so many industries and job roles have a gender pay gap is incredibly disappointing and is an important flag for employers. It highlights that organisations must continue to critically evaluate their own gender pay gap and focus their efforts on what they can do within their own business to reduce embedded salary discrepancies, and ensure people are fairly rewarded for the value they bring.

“The onus is on all employers to be part of the solution, not part of this problem. Behind every percentage point in these figures is a real woman, taking home significantly less than her male colleague. These aren’t just stats – these are real people and real inequalities.”

Ann Allcock, head of diversity at Ciphr, says there are numerous factors that could be contributing to the wide variations in gender pay gaps across different towns and cities. She explains: “A key driver is likely to be the type, size and concentration of the industries present, and the number of workers they employ. Gaps are usually larger among higher-paying businesses, those with clearly delineated gender roles (such as more men working in construction and STEM occupations), or those with a high proportion of consistently undervalued roles. The latter are predominantly occupied by women (the 5 C's of Caring, Cleaning, Catering, Cashiering and Clerical work), and where there’s a gender imbalance in a role’s workforce it can lead to lower-paid wages.

“Another important factor influencing pay gaps across towns and cities is the lack of access to affordable childcare, which translates into the 'Motherhood Penalty'. Towns with limited and/or high childcare costs often see a larger pay gap in favour of men, as women are more likely to reduce working hours or move to lower-paid, more flexible but lower-skilled, jobs after having children. 

“Local or regional cultural norms that support traditional gender roles and tend to view women as secondary earners can also drive up pay gaps in favour of men, as these impact women's career progression and promotion opportunities, and salary levels.

“Over three-quarters (78%) of all occupations in the UK have gender pay gaps, which means many women are earning less than men in the same occupations. Tackling the gender pay gap should be a business priority for all employers – no matter where they are based in the UK.”

What can employers do to close the gender pay gap?

• Conduct regular equal pay audits (as unequal pay can influence the gender pay gap)
• Promote flexible working and parental leave options to all parents and carers
• Review policies and practices on starting salaries, performance-related pay and bonus eligibility 
• Champion equal progression for all up the career ladder
• Review recruitment and promotion practices for gender bias
• Analyse and report on your gender pay gap to help plan and implement strategic changes