Property remains one of the UK’s worst-performing industries when it comes to the gender pay gap.

Research by online agency Yopa ranks ‘real estate’ as having the fourth largest gender pay gap across all work sectors.

And the gap has widened significantly over both the past year and the past decade.

The agency says only three other sectors – Financial & Insurance; Arts, Entertainment & Recreation; and Professional, Scientific & Technical – have a greater pay disparity between men and women. 

Verona Frankish, chief executive officer at Yopa and chair of Women in Estate Agency, comments: “It’s incredibly frustrating to see that, despite years of discussion and greater awareness around workplace equality, the gender pay gap within the real estate sector is not only persisting but widening.

“Real estate is an industry built on people, relationships, and talent, and there is simply no justification for such a significant disparity in earnings between men and women. 

“f we want the sector to continue evolving and attracting the very best professionals, it’s essential that we create an environment where everyone is recognised and rewarded fairly for the value they bring.

“Addressing the gender pay gap requires genuine commitment from across the industry, from improving transparency around pay structures to ensuring equal opportunities for progression into senior and leadership roles.

“Progress won’t happen overnight, but acknowledging the problem and taking meaningful steps to tackle it is critical if we want to build a more inclusive and balanced future for real estate.”