Gender pay inequality increased in the last year, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.

Women earned 17.1 per cent less than men in 2008, up from 17 per cent the year before.

Gerwyn Davies, public policy adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), advised against blaming employers. Women make up the majority of part-time and service sector workers, jobs that suffer the most from economic downturn.

"The gap mainly reflects variations in the type of jobs done by men and women, different working patterns and, in particular, the impact of child and elder care on women's career choices and hours of work,” Davies said.

“All these factors need to be taken into account when devising changes to policy and practice designed to close the gap."

A poll conducted by the Public and Commercial Services Union found that 88 per cent of residents believed the government should take action to close the gender pay gap, according to PersonnelToday.com.