WOMEN working for the Church of England’s national institutions are, on average, paid 41 per cent less than men, reflecting the fact that they are more likely to work in lower-grade jobs.

The data has been released by the National Church Institutions, which include the Archbishops’ Council, Church Commissioners, Pensions Board, and Lambeth Palace, under regulations that require companies and institutions with more than 250 employees to disclose data on the gender pay gap.

Within each grade of post, men and women are paid similar amounts; the same in the first two grades, women nine per cent more in the third grade, and men three per cent more in the top grade. The gender ratio within the grades varies significantly. In the lowest grade, where the average salary (according to the median) is £26,754, 74 per cent of employees are women. In the highest grade, where the average salary is £64,460, 64 per cent of employees are men.

The data includes a breakdown of the pay of the Commissioners’ investment team, comprising 31 people, of whom 20 are men, who are paid, on average, four per cent more. There are more men than women at every grade. Of the men employed, 17 receive a bonus; of the 11 women employed, six receive a bonus. The bonuses awarded to men were, on average, higher: the median bonus for men was £10,150, and the median for women, £4475.

A Church House spokesman said: “The pay difference for nearly three-quarters of our staff is less than one per cent.” For half of the staff, there was no pay difference. “However, the data shows where we have more work to do. We are taking steps to address these issues, including reviewing our job evaluation and pay methodology, and making changes to our recruitment strategy.”

The national gender pay gap for full-time employees is 9.4 per cent — the lowest since the survey began in 1997 — rising to 18.1 when part-time employees are included.