The gender pay gap is virtually non-existent among the self-employed

Research by an online services marketplace has found that the gender pay gap is virtually non-existent among freelancers and self-employed workers. Studying internal data over the last 12 months Bidvine.com found that women competing for jobs in sectors such as personal training, photography and tutoring were paid at the same rate as males, with many women actually earning more than their male counterparts for the same job.

Among freelancers and the self-employed within the top five sector services offered by Bidvine, there was little or no evidence of a gender pay gap. The study polled 150 males and 150 females from each of the sectors, asking them their rates for certain jobs and services. The results found little-to-no difference throughout the personal training, gardening and music tutor sectors, the results are below:

• Personal training (Male – £36 / Female – £33 per hour)
• Wedding photography (Male – £650 / Female – £680 per wedding)
• Handy person (Male – £20 / Female – £17 per hour)
• Cleaning (Male – £11 / Female – £12 per hour)
• Plumbing (Male – £73 / Female – £70 per hour)
• Music lessons (Male – £28 / Female – £28 per hour)
• Gardening (Male – £21 / Female – £19 per hour)
• Language lessons (Male – £25 / Female – £28 per hour)
• Electrician(Male – £70 / Female – £68 per hour)
• Singing lessons (Male – £30 / Female – £35 per hour)

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics put the average pay gap at 14.1% across all industry sectors and age groups, a figure that has remained the same since 2014. This is despite the Equal Pay Act being nearly 48 years old.

Bidvine.com is an online local service marketplace where users can place job requests and local service professionals can quote for the work. The services offered include language and music tutors, wedding service providers, plumbers and personal trainers and the site receives hundreds of thousands of job requests each year.

Co-founder of Bidvine.com, Russ Morgancommented on the findings saying;

“It’s great to see that, at least among the skilled professionals on our site, the gender pay gap is virtually extinct. The explosion of freelance and self-employed workers has seen a shift in how people value the work they do, and what their customers see as value for money for a job well-done.

“Of course, more could always be done, but it’s encouraging to see that when people have autonomy over their pricing, men and women both value their time and skills at the same financial level and customers don’t appear to take gender into consideration when finding the right person for their job.

“We’re looking forward to the next 12 months, and hopefully a significant change to the ONS figures this time next year.”