Ethnicity Pay Gap Analysis 2024

Ethnicity pay gap reporting is not currently mandatory in Great Britain, though many employers do it voluntarily. The UK government is proposing to make it mandatory for large employers (250+ employees) through the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill, following a consultation launched in March 2025. This would require employers to disclose both ethnicity and disability pay gaps, using a framework similar to that for gender pay gap reporting.

The introduction of Gender Pay Gap Information Regulations in Northern Ireland is anticipated in 2027, however, these are unlikely to incorporate mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting at the outset. In anticipation of equivalent reporting requirements, we have calculated our ethnicity pay gap, using gov.uk guidance.  Due to the low numbers of staff within the black and minoritised ethnic (BME) categories (N=210), data is presented using ‘white’ and ‘BME’ categories only. Whilst protecting anonymity, we recognise that this simplified ‘binary’ approach may provide a less accurate picture of pay disparities.

Note: We respectfully use the terms ‘white’ and ‘BME’ for pay gap reporting, while acknowledging the shortcomings of these labels, and that categories inherently bring limitations in terms of being able to understand complex, intersecting identities and lived experiences for minoritised ethnic staff.

An ethnicity pay gap is the percentage difference between the average pay of white and BME employees within a given group. It is different from an Equal Pay Review, which sets out to examine whether the two groups are being paid the same (that is, equally) for doing equal work.

Ethnicity pay gaps can occur where white and BME staff are distributed differently across an institution (that is, where there is occupational segregation), even where there is equal pay.

Pay gaps are accepted as a sound indicator of possible inequalities in access to work, progression, and reward. For example, a negative percentage shows that white staff have lower average pay than BME staff in our organisation whereas a zero percentage shows that there is equal pay between white and BME staff in our organisation.

Both the median and mean calculations are used because they are complimentary metrics and illustrate aspects of the distribution of pay across an organisation.

The median is the midpoint of the range of salaries received, expressed as an hourly rate of pay.

The mean is the overall average of salaries, also expressed as an hourly rate of pay.

In 2024 our median ethnicity gap was 0.0%. The median pay for BME staff was £24.33. The median pay for white staff was £24.33.

In 2024 our mean ethnicity pay gap was -1.9%.The mean pay for BME staff was £25.20. The mean pay for white staff was £24.73.

We have reviewed the ethnicity pay distribution across the University in four equally sized quartiles. These are calculated by listing all employees by their hourly rate of pay, from the lowest to the highest, and then dividing the list into four sections, with an equal number of employees in each section.

The Lower Quartile contains the smallest proportion of BME staff. This is comprised of 4.3% BME compared with 95.7% white staff .

The Lower Middle Quartile contains the largest proportion BME staff. This is comprised of 9.9% BME and 90.1% white staff.

Similarly, the ethnicity profile within the Upper Middle Quartile is comprised of 8% BME and 92% white staff.

There is a shift in the ethnicity profile within the Upper Quartile as this is comprised of 6.2% BME compared with 93.8% white staff.

The pay quartile figures show that BME staff are underrepresented across all quartiles. The greatest proportion of BME staff are located in the Lower Middle quartile. This reflects the location of BME staff within the Grade structure: that is, they are mainly international staff in Research (Grade 6/7) and Academic (Grade 7/8) posts. Whilst proportions in each quartile are low (<10%), they are greater than that of the Northern Ireland Population (3.4%)[1]. This demonstrates that Ulster University is more diverse than the local population.

[1] The Northern Ireland Census 2021 suggests that 3.4% of the NI population is BME.

• The proportion of BME staff within the Lower quartile range in 2024 was 1.9% more than the proportion in 2023. The number of BME staff within this quartile increased (by n=15), whereaswhite staff increased (by n=31).
• The proportion of BME staff within the Lower Middle quartile range in 2024 was 0.7% less than the proportion in 2023. The number of BME staff within this quartile remained the same, whereas white staff increased (by n=47).
• The proportion of BME staff within the Upper Middle quartile range in 2024 was 1.9% more than the proportion in 2023. The number of BME staff within this quartile increased (by n=17), whereas white staff increased (by n=30).
• The proportion of BME staff within the Upper quartile range in 2024 was 0.2% more than the proportion in 2023. The number of BME staff within this quartile increased (by n=4), whereas white staff increased (by n=43).

• The new organisational strategy sets out a commitment around equality, diversity and inclusion and we are delivering this through a renewed People Plan which sets out actions to continue to narrow pay gaps as they exist across the organisation.
• We have established a Pay Gap Review Working Group, which includes Trade Union colleagues to consider and address Equal and Ethnicity pay.
• We are developing an ‘Addressing Pay Gaps Strategic Framework Plan’, which sets out our commitments to positively impact our Gender, Ethnicity and Disability pay gaps.
• We are addressing race equality through our membership of the Race Equality Charter, our HR Excellence in Research action plan and by encouraging participation in the Diversifying Leadership and Research Leadership Development programmes.
• To enhance career progression of professional support staff we have developed a pilot for secondments, ensuring that BME staff, particularly at lower grades, are encouraged and supported to take part.
• To reduce biases and to promote equity across interview panels, all interviews and promotions panel members must have completed the mandatory EDI training as a minimum.