London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Oct 07, 2025

Covid financial support ‘skewed towards men’, UK parliament committee warns

Covid financial support ‘skewed towards men’, UK parliament committee warns

The Women and Equalities Committee has released a report into the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on both genders, warning that existing financial support is “skewed towards men” and failing female workers.

The committee’s investigation into the issue claims that, while the government took extensive measures to protect the country from Covid-19, women found themselves disproportionately affected by the economic impacts of the pandemic.

The chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, Caroline Nokes, expressed how the government’s approach needs to shift, as they have “repeatedly failed” women and “overlooked the labour market and caring inequalities faced by” them.

"The message from our evidence is clear: Government policies have repeatedly skewed towards men and it keeps happening"


The committee argues that the pandemic and the government’s response has exacerbated existing gender inequalities in the workforce, as recovery priorities have focused on male-dominated sectors, rather than supporting all individuals equally.

Among the areas covered, the report cited data that shows how, as women make up a higher proportion of part-time workers, they have been disproportionally affected by the crippling impact Covid-19 has had on that industry. Furthermore, as the pandemic has impacted caring responsibilities, women have been forced to devote more hours to childcare than their male counterparts, increasing the pressure on working mothers.

In order to address what the committee sees as existing and growing gendered inequalities, MPs have made 20 key recommendations, such as ensuring support is distributed equally, rather than primarily in male-dominated sectors, amending the Flexible Working Regulations, and extending redundancy protection to pregnant women and new mothers.

Claire Walker, the co-executive director of the British Chamber of Commerce, stated that a long-term shift will be needed to move the national focus towards parents and carers, as “the evidence shows that businesses with a diverse and inclusive workforce perform better.”

Responding to the report, a government spokesperson cited the work that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s administration has done to support women, including the Self Employment Income Scheme, which has helped 1.7 million female workers.

“Throughout the pandemic this government has done whatever it takes to protect lives and livelihoods, and will continue to do so”, the spokesperson said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Australia Orders X to Block Murder Videos, Citing Online Safety and Public Exposure
Three Scientists Awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine for Discovery of Immune Self-Tolerance Mechanism
OpenAI and AMD Forge Landmark AI-Chip Alliance with Equity Option
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
×