Equality Impact Assessments and the Public Sector Equality Duty: Briefing for a new government
This briefing sets out why equality impact assessments are needed, what the law requires and current government practice.
Publication
This briefing provides key statistics and information on women's economic inequality along with suggested questions for parliamentary candidates.
This briefing provides some key statistics and information on women’s economic inequality in the UK along with some suggested questions for parliamentary candidates. We may update this briefing periodically, if you have suggested additions please get in touch with us at press@wbg.org.uk
Unpaid work is the root cause of women’s economic inequality. Women carry out 50% more unpaid work than men on average. 1 As a result, women are more likely to be economically inactive, in low-paid, part-time or precarious forms of work. They are more likely to be poor 2 , have lower levels of savings and wealth than men 3 . Women are therefore less prepared to face economic shocks and thus are more likely to be dependent on social security and public services 4 5 . This is particularly true for Disabled women, single mothers and Black and Minority Ethnic women 6 .
ONS, (2023), Time use in the UK: 23 September to 1 October 2023,
WBG (2018) The Female Face of Poverty
WBG (2023) Why taxation of wealth is a feminist issue
WBG (2021) Household debt, gender and Covid-19
WBG and the Runnymede Trust (2017) Intersecting inequalities: The impact of austerity on Black and Minority Ethnic women in the UK
This briefing sets out why equality impact assessments are needed, what the law requires and current government practice.
This briefing summarises the key issues including supply to access, quality and affordability – and makes short and long term recommendations.
This briefing covers the problems with the current system, principles for a reformed system and WBG recommendations.
This briefing outlines how a more adequate and sustainable social security system is vital to the recovery of people’s lives and the economy.