Gender pay gap

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has a strong and proud track record of championing the equality agenda within the fire and rescue sector, but also more widely. The Service is clear that diversity isn’t just about the Equality Act 2010 or nine protected characteristics. It is about ensuring that everybody feels included and is able to give their all. However, the legal drivers and legislative framework provide an important backdrop for the delivery of equality, diversity and inclusion objectives.

Since March 2018, regulations introduced under the Equality Act 2010 require all public sector organisations and UK companies with 250 or more employees to carry out Gender Pay Gap reporting.  This shows the difference between mean (average) and median (mid-point) earnings of men and women in the workplace.

The gender pay gap is a different concept to that of equal pay.  Men and women, by law, must be paid equally for work of the same or similar value, and the Service pays men and women equally at every grade.  However, if one gender dominates higher pay graded roles, then there will be a gender pay gap.

To ensure transparency, the Service will publish on its website an annual Gender Pay Gap report.  This report takes into account the pay of all operational staff and support staff.  The report for 2023 shows figures taken on the ‘snapshot date’ - 31 March 2023.

The pay for operational staff and support staff is agreed nationally and is contained in the ‘Grey Book’ and ‘Green Book’ respectively.  The Service has a higher number of operational staff, and on the whole the pay points for operational staff are at a higher rate than for support staff. The majority of our operational staff are men. Our figures also show that we have more men than women in more senior roles.  Both of these factors contribute to the gender pay gap.  The Service is prioritising attracting a more diverse workforce, particularly in terms of gender, and is carrying out a range of campaigns to address these identified issues.

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service’s full Gender Pay Gap Report for 2023, along with an overview of the action being taken to address the gap, can be viewed though the webpage below.

Gender Pay Gap Report 2023