Disabled women are earning nearly a third less than non-disabled men, according to new figures from the Trade Union Congress (TUC), which highlight a persistent and damaging pay divide. Overall, disabled workers face a 15.5% earnings gap compared with non-disabled colleagues. The union says this difference – worth about £2.24 an hour – leaves a disabled person working a typical 35-hour week more than £4,000 worse off each year. This financial inequality sits alongside higher unemployment rates among disabled people and a greater likelihood of being pushed into insecure roles.

The report notes that joblessness among disabled workers has risen to its highest level since before the pandemic, now standing at more than twice the rate for non-disabled people. Disabled employees are also more frequently tied to zero-hours contracts, with 4.3% working under such arrangements compared with 3.3% of non-disabled workers. The TUC argues that this insecurity makes it far harder for people to challenge unfair treatment, as raising concerns can mean losing future shifts.

Ministers have pledged to outlaw zero-hours contracts through the upcoming Employment Rights Bill – a move the TUC has welcomed as a step towards improving working conditions for disabled people. The union is pressing the government to quickly follow through on commitments to introduce mandatory disability pay gap reporting, mirroring existing requirements for gender pay transparency.

The TUC also says reforms to the Access to Work scheme and wider workplace support must be delivered alongside these measures. Citing last week’s Mayfield review, the union stressed the need for decisive action to increase disabled employment. General Secretary Paul Nowak said disabled workers should not be left behind, adding that fair pay and secure work are essential for ensuring disabled people can build a life free from poverty.