Six-figure salary gender gap ‘has widened’

The gap between the number of women and men paid more than £100,000 has widened by almost a quarter in five years, a study stays.

More than 625,000 men receive at least a six-figure salary compared with 155,000 women, research by law firm Wilsons found. The gap has increased by 23 per cent over the past five years, partly explained by mothers taking career breaks to have children, said the report.

Financial incentives for splitting parental leave equally between mothers and fathers could close the gender pay “gulf ”, claimed Stephen Oxley, of Wilsons.