Overall women’s pay to shrink by nearly £40 a month this year

Women’s real wages will “plummet” by nearly £40 a month this year, according to new analysis published by the Trade Unions Congress (TUC).

The analysis of official data shows that women’s pay packets will shrink, in real terms, by £38 a month in 2022.

The analysis also reveals how women are already bearing the brunt of falling public sector pay.

Women in the public sector are earning, on average, £90 a month less – in real terms – than a year ago.

And with women accounting for nearly two-thirds of all public sector workers they are feeling the impact of falling public sector pay disproportionately.

The TUC warns that with inflation set to rise further, women working in the public sector will see their pay packets squeezed even tighter this year.

Over the last decade women working in the public sector have already seen their pay fall sharply in value.

Separate analysis by the union body shows that many key workers are still earning thousands of pounds a year less – in real terms – than in 2010.

Nurses’ real wages are down more than £2,700 per year, while local government care workers are down more than £1,600 a year.

The union body is calling on the Chancellor to come back to parliament with an Emergency Budget to help families get through the months ahead.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Everyone who works for a living deserves to earn a decent living.

“Women already suffer from the punishing gender pay gap and will now see their wages fall off a cliff this year.

“The government cannot look on as women across Britain are pushed deep into the red.

“The Chancellor must come back to parliament with an Emergency Budget.

“The longer ministers wait to deal with this living standards emergency – the more damage will be done.”