Paranting Explainers | Why is there a disability pay gap?

The gap currently stands at £3,458 per year

Words: Sam Lewis. Images: iStock

On Tuesday, Trades Union Congress (TUC) reported that there is a significant gap in pay between disabled and non-disabled workers.

This news has surfaced at the same time as living expenses are rising; fuel and petrol prices have skyrocketed, the energy price cap was introduced just as the weather is turning and the £20 Universal Credit uplift has ended.

But why is there a disability pay gap, what causes it and what are the repercussions?

What is the pay gap?

The gap is the difference between what disabled people and non-disabled people receive in pay, when in employment. As it stands, the gap is currently £3,458 per year, according to a report from TUC released on 9 November 2021. The date has been branded the "Disability Pay Gap Day 2021"—when disabled people essentially stop getting paid and continue to work for free, for the remainder of the year.

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