Women in Britain continue to receive significantly lower bonuses than men

Friday 18 September 2026 - 17:05

By: Azzat Manal

Women in Britain continue to receive significantly lower bonuses than men

Women in Britain continue to receive substantially smaller annual bonuses than men, with the gap showing little sign of narrowing, according to new data from human resources analytics company Brightmine.

The study, based on payroll information covering around 1.46 million employees across 1,190 organisations and data collected through July, found that men received an average annual bonus of £5,442, compared with £3,062 for women. The figures highlight a persistent difference in access to and value of workplace incentive payments.

The proportion of employees receiving bonuses also differed by gender. Around 14% of male employees received a financial bonus, compared with 9% of female employees. Overall, 13% of employees benefited from bonus payments, broadly unchanged from the previous year.

The disparity becomes more pronounced among older workers. Among employees aged 56, the average bonus stood at approximately £8,817 for men, while women received an average of £3,769. The largest differences were recorded in sectors such as finance and professional and business services, where performance-related compensation can represent a significant part of total earnings.

Brightmine data specialist Sheila Attwood attributed the differences to variations in career progression and seniority, as well as unequal access to higher-value incentive schemes. These factors can have a cumulative effect over the course of a career, particularly when bonus opportunities are linked to managerial responsibilities or higher-paid positions.

The findings also put the bonus gap within the broader context of gender pay inequality in the UK. Official figures from the Office for National Statistics previously estimated the overall gender pay gap at 6.9% in April of the previous year. The measure compares the difference in average earnings between men and women and does not necessarily indicate unequal pay for identical jobs.

The latest figures underline the continuing role of bonuses and other variable forms of compensation in shaping overall differences in workplace earnings. They also highlight how disparities in career progression, seniority and access to incentive schemes can contribute to wider differences in total remuneration between men and women.