Preparing to report your gender pay gap

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a newbie to the process, reporting your gender pay gap is not just a legal obligation, but also a crucial step towards fostering a fair and inclusive workplace culture. So, why is this important? Well, aside from being a legal requirement for companies with 250 or more employees, addressing the gender pay gap is essential for promoting equality and diversity within our organisations. By shining a light on any disparities in pay between male and female employees, we can identify areas for improvement and take meaningful action to bridge the gap. 

When is the deadline? 

The deadline to file your gender pay gap report for the 2023 to 2024 reporting period is 4^th April 2024. Each year there is a ‘snapshot date’ of 4^th April for most employers. If an organisation has 250 or more employees on this specific date, then they must report a range of information about their gender pay gap based on the payroll for that date. The deadline to submit this is by the 4^th April (i.e., the next snapshot date) 

For example, we are currently in the 2023 to 2024 reporting year, meaning that your organisation will need to submit a gender pay gap report for payroll data captured on the 4^th April 2023 by the 4^th April 2024. 

Please note; public authority employers are subject to a different snapshot date and reporting deadline of 30^th March – these include: 

• most government departments and arm’s length bodies 
• the armed forces 
• local authorities 
• NHS bodies 
• universities 
• most schools, including academies and multi-academy trusts. 

What do you need to include in the report? 

There are six calculations that must be included in your report, these are: 

1. Percentage of men and women in each hourly pay quarter 

2. Mean gender pay gap for hourly pay 

3. Median gender pay gap for hourly pay 

4. Percentage of men and women receiving bonus pay 

5. Mean gender pay gap for bonus pay 

6. Median gender pay gap for bonus pay 

You can find further guidance for calculating your gender pay gap data here.  

If you’re a private or voluntary sector employer, then you must include a written statement, validating the accuracy of your data, signed by an ‘appropriate person’. 

Publishing your gender pay gap information 

Your employees must be able to view your organisation’s gender pay gap information for at least three years from submission, so you’re required to publish it somewhere they can access.  

Alongside this, you may wish to publish a supporting narrative and action plan acknowledging the gender pay gap at your workplace. These will allow you to explain why you think there’s a gender pay gap across your employees, provide a more detailed analysis of the data, inform readers of ongoing measures to close the gap, and statistics where necessary.  

Failing to report your data (or late submissions) may not only incur enforcement action from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) but could also have a detrimental impact on your reputation. Each late submission is subject to a ‘late badge’ on the gender pay gap service, which is visible to the public. 

Every effort counts towards creating a more equitable workplace. If you haven’t already done so, we urge you to file your gender pay gap report as soon as possible, protecting your reputation, showing support to your employees, and striving towards a more equal workplace. 

For more guidance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Eleanor Taylor at [email protected].