The pay gap
Although the disability pay gap has narrowed slightly since last year, it’s higher than it was a decade ago. TUC research now shows that non-disabled workers earn 14.6% more than disabled workers (down from 17.2% in 2022). This means that, on average, disabled workers will work 47 days without pay this year.
The pay gap for disabled workers currently stands at £1.90 an hour – or £3,460 per year for someone working a 35-hour week.
Disabled women face an even bigger pay penalty. Non-disabled men are paid on average 30% more than disabled women, which equates to £3.73 an hour, or £6,780 a year.
The pay gap a decade ago was 13.2%. Research also shows the disability pay gap persists for workers for most of their careers.
Labour's new deal
Everybody deserves a job with decent pay. Being disabled should not mean you’re on a lower wage – or that you’re excluded from opportunities at work.
Disabled workers are not only paid less than non-disabled workers, they are also more likely to be unemployed (6.7% compared to 3.3%).
Usdaw says Labour’s new deal would make work pay and end insecure employment. Labour’s new deal would:
- Introduce disability and ethnicity pay gap reporting.
- Strengthen flexible working rights by introducing a day one right to work flexibly.
- Ban zero-hours contracts to help end the scourge of insecure work.
- Give all workers day one rights on the job.
- Ensure all workers get reasonable notice of any change in shifts or working time.
- Increase enforcement to uphold employment rights.
Reasonable adjustments in the workplace
In addition to discrimination in the labour market and the barriers that negative attitudes and stereotypes can put in the way of disabled workers ‘getting on’ in paid work, the failure of employers to make reasonable adjustments is a big factor that contributes to the pay gap.