Country guide
Pay transparency in United Kingdom
What the EU Pay Transparency Directive means for employers in United Kingdom, based on its national transposition — status, thresholds, the joint-assessment trigger, and where to file.
The United Kingdom is not an EU member state: Directive (EU) 2023/970 does not apply. The Gender Pay Gap Information Regulations 2017 are the governing national regime.
United Kingdom has not yet transposed the directive, and the 7 June 2026 deadline has passed. The directive's own thresholds are the best guide until national law is enacted; any pre-existing national pay-reporting regime continues to apply in the meantime.
Employers with 250+ employees come into scope from 2017. A mean pay gap of 5% or more in a role category triggers a joint pay assessment with worker representatives.
The pay-gap figures must be published, not just filed with the authority. Either way, the underlying work is the same: establish work of equal value through gender-neutral job evaluation, produce the statutory pay-gap report in the national format, and run a joint assessment where the gap is too wide.
Obligations at a glance
| Reporting threshold | 250+ employees (from 2017) |
|---|---|
| Joint pay assessment | 5% gap |
| Reporting frequency | Annual |
| Public publication | Required |
| Competent authority | Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) |
Frequently asked
Is the EU Pay Transparency Directive in force in United Kingdom?
United Kingdom has not yet transposed the directive, and the 7 June 2026 deadline has passed. The directive's own thresholds are the best guide until national law is enacted; any pre-existing national pay-reporting regime continues to apply in the meantime.
Which employers have to report in United Kingdom?
Employers with 250+ employees come into scope from 2017.
What triggers a joint pay assessment in United Kingdom?
A mean pay gap of 5% or more in a role category triggers a joint pay assessment with worker representatives.
This guide summarises publicly available information for orientation only. It is not legal advice — confirm every figure against United Kingdom's own transposition text before relying on it.