Gender pay gap in public administration and defence
In public administration and defence (SIC section O) 408 UK employers reported for 2025/26; at the median employer: men paid 2.0% more; 56% pay men more. Source: Arcadium Data, data as of .
Largest median gaps
| Employer | Median gap | Mean gap | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Office for Nuclear Regulation | +39.0% | +26.0% | 500 to 999 |
| ASCENT FLIGHT TRAINING (MANAGEMENT) LIMITED | +33.6% | +29.5% | 250 to 499 |
| HALL & KAY FIRE SERVICES LIMITED | +31.1% | +29.6% | 250 to 499 |
| FOUR CS MAT | +31.0% | +22.0% | 500 to 999 |
| Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council | +28.4% | +22.3% | 250 to 499 |
| Crown Prosecution Service | +27.4% | +9.6% | 5000 to 19,999 |
| INZPIRE LIMITED | +26.8% | +23.7% | 250 to 499 |
| U K Atomic Energy Authority | +23.8% | +10.1% | 1000 to 4999 |
| Dartford Borough Council | +20.4% | +16.4% | 250 to 499 |
| Breckland District Council | +20.3% | +16.2% | 250 to 499 |
| PUBLICA GROUP ( SUPPORT) LIMITED | +19.3% | +16.4% | 250 to 499 |
| Bracknell Forest Council | +18.8% | +14.9% | 1000 to 4999 |
| Cannock Chase District Council | +18.6% | +11.3% | 250 to 499 |
| RAYTHEON SYSTEMS LIMITED | +18.3% | +14.0% | 1000 to 4999 |
| BRIGHTER FUTURES FOR CHILDREN LIMITED | +17.0% | +7.3% | 500 to 999 |
Women paid more
| Employer | Median gap | Mean gap | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brentwood Borough Council | -28.0% | -21.0% | 250 to 499 |
| Three Rivers District Council | -27.3% | -18.4% | 250 to 499 |
| Spelthorne Borough Council | -22.0% | -7.0% | 250 to 499 |
| Reigate and Banstead Borough Council | -20.8% | -18.3% | 500 to 999 |
| West Lindsey District Council | -19.9% | -5.6% | 250 to 499 |
| Newham Council | -19.4% | -9.9% | 1000 to 4999 |
| Stafford Borough Council | -17.2% | +1.2% | Less than 250 |
| South Derbyshire District Council | -17.1% | -6.8% | 250 to 499 |
| Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council | -17.0% | -10.8% | 500 to 999 |
| Thanet District Council | -16.9% | -9.5% | 500 to 999 |
| Fylde Borough Council | -15.9% | -4.0% | 250 to 499 |
| Huntingdonshire District Council | -14.5% | -2.5% | 500 to 999 |
| Braintree District Council | -14.2% | -9.2% | 500 to 999 |
| Amber Valley Borough Council | -14.0% | +4.1% | Less than 250 |
| Epsom and Ewell Borough Council | -13.1% | -4.9% | 250 to 499 |
Largest employers in the sector
| Employer | Size | Median gap | Mean gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department for Work And Pensions | 20,000 or more | 0.0% | +4.2% |
| Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust | 20,000 or more | +6.6% | +13.1% |
| HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) | 20,000 or more | +5.0% | +5.0% |
| Metropolitan Police Service | 20,000 or more | +7.8% | +5.9% |
| Ministry Of Defence | 20,000 or more | +9.8% | +5.4% |
| Ministry of Justice | 20,000 or more | +8.0% | +6.1% |
| Avon and Somerset Police | 5000 to 19,999 | +12.9% | +8.0% |
| Bank of England | 5000 to 19,999 | +16.1% | +14.6% |
| Birmingham City Council | 5000 to 19,999 | +0.1% | +1.7% |
| Bristol City Council | 5000 to 19,999 | +7.1% | +3.7% |
| Caerphilly County Borough Council | 5000 to 19,999 | +7.8% | +5.1% |
| Cardiff Council | 5000 to 19,999 | +3.2% | -0.6% |
| City Of Bradford Metropolitan District Council | 5000 to 19,999 | +3.8% | +4.2% |
| City of London Corporation | 5000 to 19,999 | 0.0% | +3.5% |
| Cornwall Council | 5000 to 19,999 | +4.2% | +3.1% |
| Coventry City Council | 5000 to 19,999 | +1.6% | +0.3% |
| Crown Prosecution Service | 5000 to 19,999 | +27.4% | +9.6% |
| Department for Education | 5000 to 19,999 | +6.7% | +4.2% |
| Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 5000 to 19,999 | +7.1% | +4.3% |
| Department For Transport | 5000 to 19,999 | +6.6% | +6.2% |
| Derbyshire County Council | 5000 to 19,999 | +12.1% | +9.2% |
| Devon & Cornwall Police | 5000 to 19,999 | +13.3% | +8.5% |
| Devon County Council | 5000 to 19,999 | +9.1% | +6.6% |
| Durham County Council | 5000 to 19,999 | +3.2% | -0.5% |
| East Riding of Yorkshire Council | 5000 to 19,999 | -4.2% | +0.7% |
All sectors: UK gender pay gap by employer. The sector is the first SIC 2007 code each employer gives in its filing.
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Source: Gender pay gap service (GOV.UK), reporting year 2025/26 (snapshot date 5 April 2025 for private and voluntary employers, 31 March 2026 for public bodies), Open Government Licence v3.0. Employers with 250 or more staff must report each year. A positive gap means men are paid more on that measure. Company-level data only: the person named as responsible in the filing is not included. Independent of the Government Equalities Office.
Questions
What is the gender pay gap in public administration and defence?
For 2025/26, the median employer in this industry reported a median hourly gap of 2.0% (408 employers). 56% paid men more at the median.
Cite as: Arcadium Data, "Gender pay gap in public administration and defence: 408 UK employers, 2025/26", https://arcadiumdata.io/uk-gender-pay-gap/sector/o/, data as of 2026-10-25.