Executive summary

The UK Statistics Authority is dedicated to delivering trustworthy, independent, and high-quality statistics that support the UK’s most critical economic and societal decisions and keep the public informed. At the heart of this mission is our commitment to inclusion and diversity, which are embedded in both our organisational strategy and our People Plan. Inclusivity is essential to our ambition to be an employer of choice.

We remain committed to creating an inclusive workplace where staff at every level reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. By valuing individual experiences, skills, and perspectives, we strengthen both the quality and impact of our work. Our goal is to ensure that every colleague enjoys a positive, meaningful, and purpose-driven career.

Gender pay gaps are a key measure of our progress toward inclusivity. This year, we are pleased to report a reduction in both our mean and median gender pay gap, reflecting the success of targeted interventions. In recent years, we have prioritised pay increases for our lowest-paid staff, a group that includes a higher proportion of women, which has contributed significantly to this improvement.

We have also made notable strides in increasing the representation of women at senior grades, the primary driver for reducing pay gaps. Initiatives such as our Women into Leadership programme and enhancements to recruitment practices have delivered measurable results. Additionally, a rise in the proportion of women within the Senior Civil Service receiving performance-related payments has moved the bonus pay gap closer to alignment.

Our commitment goes beyond gender representation. We continue to analyse pay gaps across all workforce groups to identify and address inequality wherever it exists. Just as we strive for our statistical outputs to reflect the experiences of everyone in society, ensuring that everyone counts and is counted, we apply the same inclusive principles to our internal practices, including pay and reward.

Key Findings:

• Median earnings pay gap: 5.0% in favour of men (down from 5.7% in 2024)
• Mean earnings pay gap: 4.3% in favour of men (down from 6.0% in 2024)
• Median bonus pay gap: 0.0% (up from -20% in 2024)
• Mean bonus pay gap: -5.8% in favour of women (up from -13.1% in 2024)
• Proportion receiving a bonus: 87.6% (Women), 84.6% (Men)
• Overall, fewer staff received bonuses in 2025, with a 2.5 percentage points (pp) decrease among women and a 0.9pp decrease for men compared to 2024.

The data shows that while women have equitable access to bonus awards, disparities persist in overall earnings.