Women in work: Why supporting every stage of a woman's career is good for Britain
Britain cannot build the economy it needs without supporting women to create and maintain fulfilling careers, writes Baroness Jacqui Smith
As we mark International Women's Day, it is important to recognise the impact women have across every sector of our economy. There is now a near record of 16.7 million women in work, and the UK has the third highest employment rate for women in the G7.
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We have achieved this by encouraging investment, supporting women directly, and helping businesses to do the right thing. And I see real opportunities to go further. Supporting women in work is an evolving mission, and one this Government is committed to driving forward.
But Britain cannot build the economy it needs without supporting women to create and maintain fulfilling careers. That is not a political statement — it is an economic reality.
We must get women into skilled work from the very beginning of their careers. Recent figures showed we inherited a system that has failed young people for years, with 1 in 8 young people not earning or learning. I am determined to turn that around, and ensure young women are supported to succeed.
We are making the biggest investment in young people in a generation, from 50,000 new apprenticeships and £820 million for the Youth Guarantee, to new youth hubs across the country and National Insurance relief for employers taking on under-21s.
For too many mothers, the path of returning to work after having children is daunting and expensive. Concerns about childcare are real, and this Government takes them seriously.
We have backed nurseries and childminders with a record £9.5 billion investment, and since September, over half a million families have benefitted from our landmark rollout of 30 hours funded childcare. This has saved parents up to £7,500 a year, per child, and given mothers a genuine choice about returning to their careers.
Elsewhere, the Early Years Pupil Premium ensures that high-quality early education is not a privilege for the few, and the expansion of free breakfast clubs offers further practical support for families.
On this International Women's Day, it is also right to be honest about where inequalities persist. The gender pay gap for all employees was 12.8% in April 2025, down from 17.4% before the pandemic. That’s real progress, but the goal is to reach 0%.
The Chancellor is clear about her ambition to close it once and for all. Many employers already understand that when women succeed, so does their business, but every organisation needs to be harnessing the full talent and creativity of women in their workforce.
That is why, through the Employment Rights Act, we are taking the first steps towards requiring employers to publish action plans alongside their gender pay gap figures, driving real and lasting change.
Finally, the impact of the menopause has for too long been spoken about in hushed tones, or ignored completely.
And that reluctance costs the UK economy an estimated £1.7 billion every year in sick days, lost productivity, and talent walking out of the door.
Over half of working women aged 40 to 60 have been unable to go into work at some point due to menopause symptoms, and one in ten have left a job entirely. These women do not want to leave a job they often love, they just need support.
We are expecting large employers to act; they will be required to publish plans setting out how they are supporting workers through menopause - voluntary from Spring 2026, mandatory the following year.
Our Menopause Employment Ambassador Mariella Frostrup has engaged with over 500 employers, launched a Menopause Advisory Group, and actively shaped government thinking including through the Women's Health Strategy to address specific barriers women face. Menopause questions will also now feature in routine NHS health checks for the over 40s.
International Women's Day is a moment to celebrate how far we have come, but it is also a chance to be clear-eyed about how far we still have to go. Women navigating any stage of their working lives, whether they are just starting out, returning after having children, or managing symptoms of the menopause, deserve a system that works for them.
They are not a problem to be managed. They are an asset this country cannot afford to lose.
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Baroness Jacqui Smith is the Minister of State for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education.
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