Pandemic support has been ‘skewed towards men’ - here’s how

The support measures put in place by the Government during the pandemic have been “repeatedly skewed towards men”, according to a committee of MPs which has been assessing the impact of Covid.

The committee claims the Government has “repeatedly failed to consider” the differences between men and women in the labour market and in terms of caring responsibilities.

How has the response been unequal?

The Women and Equalities Committee produced a report which found that support such as the furlough scheme was better suited to men, due to the disproportionate rate of insecure work among women. There were also findings that women have been less likely to receive discretionary top-up payments than men.

Many of the areas of the economy which have been targeted for additional support during the Covid-recovery period are male-dominated, such as science, technology, engineering and construction.

As women are more likely to have caring responsibilities, a lack of flexible employment options which can allow for childcare or other caring requirements disproportionately impacts women.

It is also thought that women are more likely to be drafted in to help with homeschooling, meaning they are less able to return to or look for work.

‘Not enough’

Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, Caroline Nokes, said: “As the pandemic struck, the Government had to act quickly to protect jobs and adapt welfare benefits.

“These have provided a vital safety net for millions of people. But it overlooked the labour market and caring inequalities faced by women.

“These are not a mystery, they are specific and well understood. And yet the Government has repeatedly failed to consider them. This passive approach to gender equality is not enough.

“And for many women it has made existing equality problems worse: in the support to self-employed people, to pregnant women and new mothers, to the professional childcare sector, and for women claiming benefits. And it risks doing the same in its plans for economic recovery.”