The UK property sector’s gender pay gap has widened leaving real estate ranked as the fourth worst-performing industry in the country for pay equality, latest research from Yopa reveals.
The analysis, released yesterday to coincide with International Women’s Day (March 8, 2026), shows that the gender pay gap across the UK real estate sector now stands at an average of 14.2%.
This places it behind only three industries in terms of disparity between male and female earnings: financial and insurance (27.9%), arts, entertainment and recreation (26.5%), and professional, scientific and technical services.
Yopa’s research also suggests the gap is continuing to widen rather than improve.
CONCERNING DEVELOPMENT
Over the past decade, between 2015 and 2025, the gender pay gap within real estate has increased by 1.6 percentage points. More concerning still, the gap has widened sharply over the past year alone, rising by 5.5 percentage points.
This represents the third-largest annual increase of any industry in the UK, with only mining and quarrying (12.7) and arts, entertainment and recreation (11.2) seeing larger year-on-year growth.
The findings highlight the ongoing challenges facing the property sector in addressing pay equality and representation at senior levels.
NO JUSTIFICATION
Verona Frankish (main picture, inset), Chief Executive Officer at Yopa and Chair of Women in Estate Agency, says: “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.
“If 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.”
MEANINGFUL STEPS
And she adds: “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.”
