Toggle high contrast
Published date

The Equality Act 2010 states that men and women are entitled to equal pay for equal work. Equal work is categorised as:  

  • 'like work' – the same, or broadly similar work;  
  • 'work rated as equivalent' – different work, but where the jobs have been rated as equivalent under a job evaluation scheme; and  
  • 'work of equal value' – different work, but which could be rated as equivalent if there had been a job evaluation scheme.  

Pay includes all contractual elements of wages and salaries (including pensions). The equal pay laws apply to all workers, including those working on a part-time, casual or temporary basis.  

In order to make a claim you need to find a person of the opposite sex, called a 'comparator', who is being paid more than you and who is doing equal work and works in the same establishment.  

Claims have to be made to the employment tribunal within six months of the end of the employment.  

Equal pay claims often take the form of ‘group’ or multi-claimant litigation, frequently coordinated by the legal department of a trade union. The final ruling will affect the pay of many employees who share the same terms and conditions.   

Before any claim can be brought in the employment tribunal, you must submit an AcasEarly Conciliation Notification Form to Acas.  

Time limits in the employment tribunal are strict. If you miss the six-month time limit for your equal pay claim, the employment tribunal will not be allowed to consider it. No extension of time is allowed.  

Note: This content is provided as general background information and should not be taken as legal advice or financial advice for your particular situation. Make sure to get individual advice on your case from your union, a source on our free help page or an independent financial advisor before taking any action.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication

To access the admin area, you will need to setup two-factor authentication (TFA).

Setup now