Three in four companies who have so far reported their pay statistics to the Government have a gender gap, latest figures show.

By April 4, companies and public bodies with 250 employees or more are required to have submitted their median and mean gender pay gap figures to the Government Equalities Office.

Figures that have so far been published by 2,743 such firms show 77% have a median gender pay gap in favour of men, 8.7% have none, and 14.3% in favour of women.

An estimated 9,000 employers are expected to have to submit such data – with those who miss the deadline potentially facing legal action.

(PA Graphics/PA)
(PA Graphics/PA)

A Home Office spokesman said: “This Government is clear that tackling injustices like the gender pay gap is part of building a country that works for everyone. Shining a light on where women are being held back means employers can begin to take action.

“Reporting gender pay gap data is not optional; it is the law, and employers that do not comply will risk facing legal action from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

“This is the first year of reporting and we will use the results to target our efforts effectively as we continue to work with employers towards eliminating the gender pay gap.”

Of the Government departments, the Department for Transport has the largest median gender pay gap of 22.6%.

One of the UK’s largest employers, the Department of Health, has a pay gap of 13.3%, while the Department for Work and Pensions is the only government body to have a pay gap of 0%.

None of the departments who have so far reported their figures pays women more than men on average.

Statistics from Philip Green’s Arcadia Group, supermarkets Iceland and Sainsbury’s, and security company G4S are yet to be published, with two weeks to go until the deadline.

The largest median gender pay gap to be reported so far is 116%, from GP organisation Modality Partnership.