Public and private sector pay gap narrows since 2010
Key points
• The average pay difference in favour of the public sector has narrowed since the year 2010, which in part reflects the restraints on public sector pay over this period.
• Average pay levels vary between the public and private sectors because of the different jobs and characteristics of the people within each sector.
• In April 2013 it is estimated that on average the pay of the public sector was between 2.2% and 3.1% higher after adjusting for the different jobs and personal characteristics of the workers.
• After further adjusting for the different organisation sizes between the public and private sector, in April 2013 it is estimated that on average the pay of the public sector was between 1.3% and 2.4% lower than the private sector.
• Looking more locally across the UK in 2013, when adjusting for the different jobs and personal characteristics of the workers, on average, Northern Ireland had the largest pay difference in favour of the public sector at 15% (7% when adjusting for organisation size). Public sector workers, on average, earned 8% less (11% less when adjusting for organisation size) than private sector workers in London.
