Women in their 50s who work full time earn £8,504 a year less than a man working full time, according to research by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
Its analysis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, also found that an 18-21 year-old woman who works full time earns £1,395 a year less on average than male colleagues, with this figure jumping to £1,944 for women aged 22-29 years old, and £3,034 once a female employee reaches her 30s.
Women working full time in their 40s experience a 21% pay gap, earning £7,234 a year less on average than their male counterparts. When women reach their 60s, the average pay gap is £6,321 a year.
Frances O’Grady, general secretary at the TUC, said: “Having children has starkly different effects on men’s and women’s pay, with women earning less after having kids, and men earning more. Far more needs to be done to help mums get back into decent, well-paid jobs after they have kids, and to encourage dads to take on their share of caring responsibilities.”
