Closing the gender pay gap “once and for all”: Labour’s proposed reforms to GPG reporting in the UK

The UK’s gender pay gap (GPG) has been declining over time, falling from 27.5% in 1997 to 14.3% in 2023. Nevertheless, at the current rate of decline, it will take at least another 20 years to close the GPG. In the lead-up to the recent election, then Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves promised that a Labour government would close the GPG “once and for all.” This ambitious pledge was backed by a series of policy changes outlined in Labour’s election manifesto, including amendments to the current GPG reporting scheme. While these reforms have the potential to address some of the key shortcomings in the current system, their success will depend on effective oversight and enforcement—neither of which are clearly addressed in Labour’s plan.