2021 to 2022

The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017 places certain duties on public sector organisations with 250 or more employees to report on their gender pay gap.

The Gender Pay Gap is different to the Equal Pay Gap. The key differences are:

  • Equal Pay deals with pay differences between men and women who carry out the same jobs, similar jobs or work of equal value;
  • Gender Pay Gap shows the difference in the average pay between men and women.

Gender pay reporting is not a review of equal pay for equal work; it instead compares hourly rates of pay and any bonuses staff may receive by gender, seeking to expose any imbalance. Following further analysis of the results we can draw some conclusions about why the current pay gap exists. The analysis and findings allow North Wales Police (NWP) to understand where to direct positive action interventions in order to close the gender pay gap in future years.

The figures below include all police officers and police staff who were employed by NWP on the "snapshot date", which was 31st March 2021.

The mean average is calculated by adding together all of the numbers in a set and then dividing the sum by the total count of numbers. The median is calculated by arranging each number in order by size; the middle number is the median.

The mean and median pay gap

Women’s hourly rate is:

  2021/22 2020/21 2019/20 2018/19
Mean 8.38%
lower than males		 10.99% lower than males 11.4% lower than males 12.9% lower than males
Median 16.64%
lower than males		 17.28% lower than males 15.3% lower than males 19.0% lower than males

The mean and median bonus pay gap

Women’s bonus pay is:

  2021/22 2020/21 2019/20 2018/19
Mean 69.58%
lower than males		 4.92% lower than males 23.2% lower than males 51.6% lower than males
Median 75.0%
lower than males		 -112.50% lower than males 45.0% lower than males 86.4% lower than males

Proportion of male and female employees receiving a bonus payment

  2021/22 2020/21 2019/20 2018/19
Male 0.87% 1.94% 1.9% 2.7%
Female 0.45% 1.22% 1.5% 2.2%

Proportion of male and female employees in each salary quartile band

  Lower quartile Lower middle quartile Upper middle quartile Top quartile
Male 47.2% 40.0% 59.1% 64.7%
Female 52.8% 60.0% 40.9% 35.3%

Understanding the pay gap

To understand the NWP gender pay gap it is key to recognise the following points; these factors combined have an overall effect of exacerbating any pay gap:

  • In the Police Service levels of pay for police officers and police staff are determined nationally by separate pay bodies
  • On average the pay points for police officers are at a higher rate than that of police staff
  • NWP has more police officers (60.4%) than police staff (39.6%)
  • NWP has more male police officers (62.7%) than female police officers (37.3%)
  • NWP has more female police staff (60.7%) than male police staff (39.3%)

It is therefore useful to separate the two groups and report separately on their respective pay gaps:

The mean and median pay gap for Police Officers

Women’s hourly rate is:

  2021/22 2020/21 2019/20 2018/19
Mean 6.24%
lower than males		 8.57% lower than males 8.9% lower than males 8.9% lower than males
Median 0%
lower than males		 0% lower than males 0% lower than males 0.5% lower than males

The mean and median pay gap for Police Staff

Women’s hourly rate is:

  2021/22 2020/21 2019/20 2018/19
Mean 5.76%
lower than males		 8.32% lower than males 7.8% lower than males 7.5% lower than males
Median 5.58%
lower than males		 6.57% lower than males 5.5% lower than males 5.5% lower than males

NWP has recognised that it needs to make efforts to tackle under-representation in the police service. Attracting more females to join as police officers and improving progression for both female police officers and female police staff continues to be a key priority within our Workforce Representation Strategy

We continue to encourage more females to join as police officers, and this remains a key priority. This has led to a variety of initiatives aimed at increasing representation of females and applicants from across all protected characteristics.

A reduction in the pay gap

This year’s report shows that overall the NWP gender pay gap has reduced (from 10.99% to 8.38%). In comparison to last year, there has been a reduction in female officers in the upper pay quartile (from 23.7% to 24.1%), whilst the percentage of females in the lower pay quartile has increased (from 46.4% to 41.5%).

Bonus payments

The Chief Constable may award bonuses for occasional work of an ‘outstandingly demanding’, an ‘unpleasant’ or of an ‘important’ nature. These bonus payments are taxable and non-pensionable, and can be allocated at the discretion of the Service Lead or Departmental Head. Awards over £50 can be allocated to individuals that meet the criteria and these payments are processed by an Awards Panel. 

This reporting year 19 individuals received bonus payments, compared with 44 in 2019/2020, 60 in 2018/2019 and 71 in 2017/2018.

  2021/22 2020/21 2019/20 2018/19
Mean 69.58%
lower than males		 4.92% lower than males 23.2% lower than males 51.6% lower than males
Median 75.00%
lower than males		 -112.50% lower than males 45.0% lower than males 86.4% lower than males
Female 0.45%
received a bonus		 1.22% received a bonus 1.8% received a bonus 2.5% received a bonus
Male 0.87%
received a bonus		 1.94% received a bonus 3.8% received a bonus 2.7% received a bonus


What NWP will continue to do to address the gender pay gap

  • NWP has a specific Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board that has been established to support activity in this area.
  • NWP has an established Workforce Representation Team that continues to implement it’s Strategy.
  • Within that team a Workforce Representation Officer focuses on Positive Action Support for all under- represented groups, including gender.
  • This work covers both internal and external applicants for Police Officer and staff roles.
  • A Positive Action Support Sessions (PASS) continue to be run to cover all aspects of the PC recruitment process.
  • NWP has several staff support networks; these include:
    - The Gender Equality Network - continues to raise and identify issues, obstacles and challenges affecting people of all genders in policing.
    - The Parent & Carers Network – seeks to support the workforce by raising awareness of the needs of all parents and carers of disabled, ill or older family members, all of which the Force recognises can be challenging at times.
  • Flexible Working across NWP is available to ensure that officers and staff with caring responsibilities are supported and to encourage a good work-life balance.
  • NWP prioritises employee wellbeing, having signed up to the Mind Time to Change Pledge and the College of Policing Blue Light Framework in 2018, and has a wide range of services that provide wellbeing support to all officers and staff.
  • All police staff roles are “job evaluated”, in conjunction with the recognised trade union, which ensures that roles are evaluated fairly and consistently.
  • All job opportunities are now advertised externally as well as internally to enable as broad a range of applicants as possible.
  • NWP will continue to review police officer promotion processes and how we might better support women in applying for and securing more senior officer roles.
  • NWP will continue to run specific initiatives that aim to improve career and development pathways for female police officers and staff.

Conclusion

The figures set out above were calculated using standard methodologies within the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017. It can already be seen that the work undertaken in recent years has had a positive impact on the recruitment of female officers into NWP.

The report finds In comparison to last year, the mean gender pay gap related to:

  • all employees has reduced from 10.99% to 8.38%
  • officers has reduced from 8.57% to 6.24%
  • staff has reduced from 8.32% to 5.76%

In comparison to last year, the median gender pay gap related to:

  • all employees has decreased from 17.28% to 16.64%
  • officers has remained at 0.0%
  • staff has decreased from 6.57% to 5.58%

Name: Seb Phillips

Rank: Director of Finance and Resources, North Wales Police.

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