London, Nov 24 (ANI): British women in their 20s earn 3.6 percent more than men of same age, shrinking the overall gender pay gap with men to less than 10 percent for the first time, a new study has revealed.
The Office for National Statistics figures stated that in their 20s, women earn 10.45 pounds an hour, compared with 10.08 pounds for men.
But the figures also revealed that the situation changes dramatically in their 30s as women lose the edge when they start families.
By the time women are between 40 and 49, men working full time are paid 15.14 pounds an hour and women only 12.77 pounds.ccording to Jill Kirby, a family expert and author of The Price of Parenthood, the pay gap between the sexes had 'nothing to do with discrimination'.
"It is the fact that women become less committed to the workplace at the point in their lives when they have children," the Daily Mail quoted her as saying.
"They want to spend more time with their children, and regard lower pay as a trade-off for family time."
"The pay gap we should be worrying about is the one that shows young men in their 20s falling behind."he ONS figures showed how radically the situation has changed in the past 14 years as young women have become better educated and motivated.
In 1997, men earned 5.9 per cent more than women in their 20s but in 2005, women in the same age group earned more for the first time - their pay was 0.5 per cent higher than men's.
After that, there were only minor fluctuations in the gap, until by 2010 women in their 20s earned 2.1 per cent more, rising to 3.6 per cent today.
Women are increasingly delaying having children until they are in their 30s, a further sign that they are keen to focus on their careers, rather than children, in their 20s.
Overall, the ONS said the gender pay gap has shrunk to the narrowest since the records began.
Among workers of all ages, men earn 9.1 per cent more than women, the first time the gap has dropped to single figures. It was 10.1 per cent last year. (ANI)
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