The UK property sector remains one of the worst-performing industries for gender pay, ranking fourth across all sectors after widening over both the past year and the past decade, the latest research from Yopa shows.
The estate agency’s analysis of the real estate industry finds the average gender pay gap currently sits at 14.2%, placing it behind only Financial & Insurance (27.9%), Arts, Entertainment & Recreation (26.5%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical in terms of pay disparity.
The gap is not just high – it’s growing. Over the past decade (2015–2025), the real estate gender pay gap has increased by 1.6 percentage points. Alarmingly, over the past year alone, it rose by 5.5 points, the third-largest annual increase among all UK industries, behind only Mining & Quarrying (12.7) and Arts, Entertainment & Recreation (11.2).
This trend highlights a continuing challenge for gender equality in UK property, as pay disparities widen despite broader efforts to address the gap.
Verona Frankish, chief executive officer at Yopa and Chair of Women in Estate Agency, commented: “It’s incredibly frustrating to see that, despite years of discussion and greater awareness around workplace equality, the gender pay gap within the real estate sector is not only persisting but widening.
“Real estate 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. 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.
“Addressing the gender pay gap requires genuine commitment from across the industry, from improving transparency around pay structures to ensuring equal opportunities for progression into senior and leadership roles.
“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 real estate.”
