London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 24, 2025

London women ‘are facing a deeper financial hit from Covid than men’

London women ‘are facing a deeper financial hit from Covid than men’

The number of women in paid work for five or fewer hours each week doubled to 15% in the last quarter, think tank Centre for London has found
Women in the capital are facing a deeper financial hit from the pandemic than men, a new Centre for London report has found.

In its quarterly “Snapshot of Londoners” survey, released today, the independent think tank found the number of women in paid work for five or fewer hours each week more than doubled to 15% between September and January.

Researchers found women were more likely to have seen their income fall, with nearly half (48%) surveyed reporting a drop in disposable income in last month, up from 43% four months earlier - while incomes remained steady for men (41%).

Overall, the survey of 1,500 Londoners suggested families’ financial pictures have worsened over winter. The number of respondents saying they would need loans to meet an unexpected expense of £500 jumped by 10% in the period.

Centre for London research director, Claire Harding, said: “The latest lockdown has been hard for millions of Londoners: financially, practically and emotionally.

“It’s been hardest for people who were already struggling, especially low-income mothers of school age children – and the financial impact is often tougher in London where living costs are so high.”

UK unemployment has raced past 5%. Multiple studies have suggested women - who are more likely to work in Covid's hardest-hit hospitality and retail sectors - are seeing more job losses globally.

Harding said the research further demonstrates why it is “vital” that central government, City Hall and local authorities “put equality at the centre of their plans for reopening and recovery”.

Oliver Worsfold, associate director at market-research agency Savanta - which co-ran the survey - added that the pandemic has "exposed a lack of financial resilience amongst many groups of Londoners that predates coronavirus".

It comes after a poll released last month by campaign group Parents & Carers in Performing Arts (PiPA), and shared with the Standard, revealed that female performers are walking away from the industry as they struggle to deal with Covid caring duties.

The report found almost two thirds were not certain they will be able to stay in the sector, and that 25% of women have become full-time carers and are doing 90% or more of the childcare during the crisis, making it harder to find work.

PiPA chair Sarah Jackson said: "This is catastrophic for the sector and for equality. We need to reverse this shocking trend before it's too late."

The organisation is calling for changes to the criteria for the Government's Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and job sharing schemes.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
×