What was claimed
The gender pay gap is at its lowest level.
Our verdict
Broadly correct.
The gender pay gap is at its lowest level.
Broadly correct.
“The gender pay gap is at its lowest level.”
Claire Perry, 8 February 2018
This is broadly correct, comparing the median hourly earnings of women and men in the UK, excluding overtime pay. The gap has been falling almost consistently over time, although there was a slight increase in the provisional data for 2017.
These figures don’t show differences in rates of pay for comparable jobs, as they are affected by factors such as the proportion of men and women in different occupations. For example, a higher proportion of women work in occupations such as administration and caring, which tend to offer lower salaries.
The Office for National Statistics says there isn't a single number that adequately deals with all the issues surrounding differences between women and men's pay, but they prefer to look at this measure of median hourly earnings.
We looked at this issue in more depth last year.
You’ve probably seen a surge in misleading and unsubstantiated medical advice since the Covid-19 outbreak. If followed, it can put lives at serious risk. We need your help to protect us all from false and harmful information.
We’ve seen people claiming to be health professionals, family members, and even the government – offering dangerous tips like drinking warm water or gargling to prevent infection. Neither of these will work.
The longer claims like these go unchecked, the more they are repeated and believed. It can put people’s health at serious risk, when our services are already under pressure.
Today, you have the opportunity to help save lives. Good information about Covid-19 could be the difference between someone taking the right precautions to protect themselves and their families, or not. Could you help protect us all from false and harmful information today?
Bad information ruins lives. It promotes hate, damages people’s health, and hurts democracy. You deserve better.