Becoming the BREADWINNER

While men continue to be paid more than women, meet the couples bucking the trend

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As the gender pay gap continues to rise, new research has found that, on average, women take home £564 less per month than men in 2022. And while we’d hoped things were improving, that figure is actually higher than the previous year. In April 2022, the gap was recorded at 8.3%, but in April 2021, it was 7.7%.

In many relationships, women find themselves on a lower income than their partner, whether they’re juggling childcare or care for elderly parents or simply being paid less than the men in their workplace.

But for some couples, women are bringing home the biggest pay cheque.

‘I WANT TO BE A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL FOR MY DAUGHTER’

Frederike Harms, 40, is a senior director. She lives in Southampton with her partner Ben, 42, a self-employed electrical contractor, and their two-year-old daughter Harriet. 

Ben and I met through work while I was a project manager and he was an electrical contractor. When we became a couple in January 2019, we were always honest about our finances.

I’ve never felt the need to be with someone earning the same as me, and while some men might find it difficult, Ben has always known how important my career is, and has supported me. I’ve always had a strong work ethic, starting my first job aged 14 at my parents’ bakery every Saturday. Then I got a job as a waitress, saving enough to buy my first car. I was also taught that if I wanted anything, I had to earn it.