The gender pay gap in the UK property sector has widened significantly, making it the fourth largest of any industry in the country, according to new research.
Analysis by Yopa reveals that the average gender pay gap across the UK real estate sector currently stands at 14.2 per cent. This places it among the worst-performing industries nationwide, trailing only financial and insurance services, arts and entertainment, and professional and scientific services in terms of pay disparity between men and women.
The findings highlight that the property industry not only continues to report one of the largest gender pay gaps in the UK but that the divide has also grown over both the past year and the past decade.
Over the ten-year period between 2015 and 2025, the gender pay gap within the real estate sector increased by 1.6 percentage points. While this long-term rise may appear modest, the most recent figures show the disparity accelerating sharply over the last year alone.
Between 2024 and 2025, the sector’s pay gap widened by 5.5 percentage points, one of the largest annual increases recorded across all UK industries. According to Yopa’s analysis, this places real estate as the third-fastest growing sector in terms of gender pay disparity during the past year.
Only the mining and quarrying industry, where the gap rose by 12.7 percentage points, and the arts, entertainment and recreation sector, which saw an increase of 11.2 percentage points, experienced larger annual rises.
The figures illustrate the persistent challenge facing the property industry as it attempts to close the earnings gap between men and women across its workforce.
The research shows that the UK property sector now sits behind only three industries when it comes to pay inequality.
The financial and insurance sector reports the widest gender pay gap nationally at 27.9 per cent, followed by arts, entertainment and recreation at 26.5 per cent. Professional, scientific and technical industries also record a larger disparity than property.
With the real estate industry now ranking fourth nationally, the data highlights a sector-wide issue that continues to affect both recruitment and career progression for women working in property.
The gender pay gap measures the difference between average hourly earnings of men and women across a sector. While it does not necessarily indicate unequal pay for identical roles, it often reflects differences in representation across senior leadership positions, commission structures, and access to higher-earning roles.
The property sector is a people-driven industry that relies heavily on performance incentives, commission structures and senior management roles, areas where gender imbalance has historically been more pronounced.
Many industry observers believe that part of the disparity stems from the underrepresentation of women in senior leadership and high-commission roles within estate agencies and property firms.
Commission-based earnings structures can amplify pay differences where male employees disproportionately occupy higher-earning positions or manage larger property portfolios.
Additionally, flexible working policies and career breaks, often linked to childcare responsibilities, can influence progression pathways in industries where networking, long working hours and client-facing roles remain central to career advancement.
Verona Frankish, chief executive of Yopa and chair of the industry initiative Women in Estate Agency, said the widening gap highlights the need for renewed efforts to address workplace equality in property.
“It’s incredibly frustrating to see that despite years of discussion and greater awareness around workplace equality, the gender pay gap within the property sector is not only persisting but widening,” she said.
“The property sector is an industry built on people, relationships and talent, and there is simply no justification for such a significant disparity in earnings between men and women.”
Frankish added that improving gender balance across leadership positions and increasing transparency around pay structures will be essential if the sector wants to attract and retain top talent.
“If we want the sector to continue evolving and attracting the very best professionals, it’s essential that we create an environment where everyone is recognised and rewarded fairly for the value they bring,” she said.
Industry leaders increasingly believe that greater transparency around salary structures and clearer career pathways could play an important role in addressing the issue.
Encouraging more women into senior leadership roles, including brokerage leadership, property investment and executive management positions, is also seen as critical to reducing long-term disparities.
Initiatives such as mentorship programmes, leadership training and flexible working structures are being explored by some property firms as ways to support women progressing into higher-earning roles.
However, closing the gender pay gap will likely require coordinated action across the entire sector, from estate agencies and developers to investment firms and property consultancies.
Frankish said meaningful change will depend on sustained commitment from businesses across the industry.
“Addressing the gender pay gap requires genuine commitment from across the sector, from improving transparency around pay structures to ensuring equal opportunities for progression into senior and leadership roles,” she said.
“Progress won’t happen overnight, but acknowledging the problem and taking meaningful steps to tackle it is critical if we want to build a more inclusive and balanced future for the property sector.”
