The Disability Pay Gap

This is the third year that the University has voluntarily reported its disability pay gap. The 2024 Disability Pay Gap Report is based on data from April 2023 to March 2024. There are 2277 employees included in the analysis.

Table 11 illustrates the disability pay gap for 2024.

• The mean pay gap has continued to narrow (4.7% → 4.2%)
• The median pay gap has slighted widened (2.8% → 3.2%)

When benchmarked, the University compares well with the sector’s mean (9.6%) and median (8.5%). Within the national workforce, data shows that employees with a declared disability earn slightly less than their non-disabled colleagues and highlights a UK disability pay gap of 14.6%.

Work associated with the Disability Confident Employer scheme and AccessAble ensure our aim for an equitable recruitment process and a drive towards universal accessibility.

Table 11: Disability Pay Gap, 2022-2024

Bonus Payments by Disability

Table 12 outlines the proportion of people with a declared disability who received a bonus in 2024.

• The proportion of bonus payments made to people with a declared disability has decreased by 1.4 percentage points (4%→ 2.6%)

Table 12: Proportions of Bonus Payments by Disability 2022-2024

2024

2023

2022

Table 13 provides detail of the mean and median of bonus payments made to those with a declared disability in 2024 and illustrates that the University has developed a disability bonus pay gap.

• The mean bonus payment gap has increased by 19 percentage points to 3.29%
• The median bonus payment gap has increased by 56 percentage points to 11% and reflects payments made to KTPs

Prior to 2024, mean and median bonus payments were negative percentages, meaning that employees with a disability received a higher bonus payment than employees without a declared disability. Table 15 illustrates that more people without a declared disability occupy the highest paid roles and therefore explains the change in the data.

Table 13: Mean and Median Bonus Payments by Disability, 2022-2023

Hourly Pay

The University takes a nuanced approach to recording disability and enables its employees to self-select from a set category, providing a greater understanding of the disabling conditions that employees are working with.

Table 14 shows the hourly rate of pay by selected disability and no disability in 2024.

• The hourly rate for employees with a declared disability is £0.90 lower than employees with no declared disability

When benchmarked, the ONS census of 2021 records a UK median for people with a disclosed disability of £12.10. In comparison with the UK, the University pays its staff with a declared disability over £6.00 an hour higher.

Table 14: Median and Hourly Pay Rates by Disability, 2024

Table 15 highlights the distribution of declared disability by quartile in 2024. Quartile 1 contains the junior and lower paid roles and Quartile 4 the most senior and highest paid

• People with disabilities are represented throughout all the quartiles
• People with disabilities occupy 10.69% of the highest paid roles at the University

Table 15: Pay Quartile by Declared Disability, 2024

WORKING TO CLOSE THE GAP

The University welcomes and supports pay gap reporting and is committed to reducing its gaps year on year. Several steps are taken to support this work:

• There is a negotiated pay and grading structure across employee cohorts
• Robust job evaluation processes are undertaken, which underpin pay grades and reinforces equal pay
• Recognition of time is given to employees to develop expertise
• A resourcing strategy has been established that aims to encourage diversity
• The gender decoder is used within the recruitment process to challenge bias where it exists
• Reviews of pay and reward are ensured to include consideration of bonus payments
• Support of female progression is monitored through the frameworks of Athena Swan and the Race Equality Charter Marks
• Race equity is prioritised through the Race Equality Charter framework and Race Equality Code charter
• Disability inclusion is promoted and supported as a Disability Confident Employer

The University undertakes several initiatives that support equity and actively fosters a culture that values inclusion and belonging, positively impacting on the pay gap. They include:

• Actively encourage all women to seek promotion opportunities through the professorial routes: Associate Professor and Professor
• Centrally fund places for female employees to attend the women in leadership programme, Aurora
• Centrally fund places for ethnically minoritised employees to attend the Advance HE’s Diversifying Leadership programme and Derby Aspire
• Retain female experience in the workplace by considering family friendly policies and menstrual health in the workplace, offering Menopause Seminars and Cafes to support those experiencing the perimenopause and menopause and raise awareness in those managing others going through these life events
• Actively celebrate role models and allies for minority groups
• Enable governance and oversight of all work taking place in the equity and inclusion spaces, ensuring all reports are freely available for employees to access
• Consult with inclusion employee networks to embed best practice through active listening, consultation, and collaboration
• Provide a varied and vibrant blended approach to employee development, including mentoring and coaching
• Implement actions from charter marks, Athena Swan, Race Equality Charter, Stonewall and Disability Confident Employer