The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has said that women in all age groups average a lower salary than men of the same age, according to a report it has produced ahead of this week's TUC Women's Conference.

Closing the Gender Pay Gap suggests that the worst age group for this problem is the 30 to 39 years old demographic.

The TUC claims that the gender pay gap rises from a 3.3 per cent difference between men and women's full-time earnings when they are aged 22 to 29 to 11.2 per cent between the ages of 30 and 39.

"Despite girls outperforming boys at school and at university, too many employers are still failing to make use of women's skills. This waste of talent isn't just hurting their take home pay, it's harming the UK economy too," Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, said.

A so-called motherhood penalty is cited as one of the reasons for the discrepancy noted by the TUC.

The government this week announced further funding would be spent on an initiative to enable more women to enter sectors - such as the motoring industry - where they are believed to be under-represented.

FOXY Lady Drivers Club would like to see more women enter the male-dominated UK motor industry because motoring services can be much more female-friendly.

Related Stories

Chocolate alone 'will not help you live longer'
It is the female friendly news all women have been waiting for – chocolate can save your life. A study by American and Italian researchers has found...
05 September 08

Does my bum look big on this form?
Women who are shopping around for female friendly life and health insurance deals are lying about their weight in a bid to keep their premiums down, according...
04 September 08

Survey reveals measures parents will go to 'for a place at a good school'
With children across the country due to start school this week, research by female friendly car insurance company Sheilas' Wheels has revealed the lengths...
01 September 08

Women 'more willing to take a risk on housing market'
It would seem the majority of women regard the housing market as a female friendly place despite the credit crunch, if the findings of some new research...
29 August 08

Women 'do not want a metrosexual'
Gender stereotypes that have not always been considered female friendly are alive and kicking, according to research by Yorkshire Building Society. A...
28 August 08

FOXY Information

What FOXY membership includes
How to join FOXY