Women still lag behind in pay - report
Women's overall income from employment, pensions, benefits and investments is just half that of men's, according to new figures from Britain.
Average pay for a woman in a full-time job is about 82% of that paid to a man, research for the British Equal Opportunities Commission found.
More men than women are in work and most part-time jobs are taken by women, according to the EOC report, Facts About Women and Men.
Women with young children have the lowest employment rate, at 54%, compared with 76% among women with older sons and daughters.
The new figures confirm the EOC's belief that a new drive is needed to tackle the pay gap between men and women.
The minimum wage has been credited with helping to close the gap, but campaigners believe the earnings difference between women and men is unacceptable.
An Equal Opportunities Commission spokeswoman said: "These statistics demonstrate the extent to which women's and men's lives are still largely determined by their sex.
"Many occupations are still generally regarded as either 'women's work' or 'men's work'.
"Women are also far more likely than men to work part-time in order to balance work with family responsibilities, and their average earnings remain far lower than men's.
"The EOC wants all women and men to have real choices about the jobs they do and how they balance home and work, rather than being restricted by outdated stereotypical ideas about what their roles should be."
