The gender pay gap in the UK narrowed by 0.5 percentage points to 22 per cent last year, but in the private sector it continued to widen, according to official statistics published on Thursday.

The median gross hourly pay of women grew by 4.3 per cent to £9.68 in the year to April, said the Office for National Statistics. For men the figure grew by 3.7 per cent to £12.42.