What has changed since the 2010 Equality Act for women in the workplace?

With National Careers Week running until Saturday 7 March, and International Women’s Day being celebrated on Sunday 8 March, Bitesize Careers takes a look into how things have changed for women in the workplace since the Equality Act in 2010.

The Equality Act was put in place to legally protect people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society. More women are now in employment than ever before in the UK, with an increase of over two million entering the workplace since 2010. The female employment rate has risen by 8.2% in the last 15 years, increasing by over 8% from 64.2% in 2010 to 72.4% in 2025.

The Act significantly boosted opportunities by authorising equal pay for the same work and strengthening protections against discrimination in hiring. In 2010, according to ONS data, the average annual wage for all women (combined full time and part time) was £19,711, for men it was £33,186, a difference of £13,475. In 2025, the average wage was £27,850 for women, and for men £38,466. A difference of £10,616. Though the gender pay gap has narrowed by £2,859, women's wages haven't risen in line with inflation. According to the Bank of England inflation calculator, the average wage for women (combined full time and part time) should actually be almost £3,000 higher at £30,555.

When assessing if this has had a global impact on women in the top roles, there is a slight, but slow improvement. In 2010 there were 7.4% female CEOs in the Fortune 500, where as in 2025 there were 11%, a rise of 3.6%.

If you want to find some inspiration for your future career, got to Bitesize Careers page and check out our 'Careers In…' series.