The current disability pay gap for employees in the UK stands at 15.5%, according to research by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
The Disability employment and pay gap 2019 report, which based its findings on 3,933,503 disabled men and women in employment in the UK, also found that these employees earn on average £1.65 per hour less than non-disabled peers, which is a gap of around £3,000 per year, based on a 35-hour week.
On average, the report found that disabled employees are paid £10.63 per hour, while their non-disabled counterparts earn £12.28.
According to analysis by the TUC, 4 November is the day of the year at which disabled employees cease being paid, due the disparity.
Futhermore, the TUC’s analysis also found that around a half (52%) of disabled people are in employment, compared to more than four-fifths (81.6%) of non-disabled people.
The areas of the UK where the disability pay gap is at its highest are the East of England (21.8%), Wales (17.7%), Yorkshire (15.4%) and the West Midlands (15.3%).
The lowest disability pay gap is present in the South West, where it stands at 8.5%.
The TUC also believes that employers should report on their disability pay gap and has launched a petition calling on the government to make it compulsory for employers to make this information public.
Frances O’Grady, general secretary at the TUC, said: “Everybody deserves a fair chance to get a job with decent pay. Being disabled should not exclude you from choosing to work. And it should not mean you’re put on a lower wage.
“The current government has behaved like they just don’t care. From [the Personal Independence Payment (Pip)] to pay, they have failed disabled people. Support for independent living has been scrapped. And at every turn, disabled people have been at the frontline of austerity.
“The next government must show they care about disabled people in Britain today. A good start would be a new law to make employers publish their disability pay gap and a plan of action to address it.”