UK charities pay white staff less than ethnic minorities

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 20:20 · Archive

Oxfam, Cancer Research UK and the British Red Cross recorded lower median salaries for white employees than ethnic minority colleagues in 2025.

Three of Britain's largest charities have recorded negative ethnicity pay gaps in 2025, with white employees receiving lower median salaries than ethnic minority colleagues. Oxfam reported the largest disparity, with white staff earning 33 per cent less than those identifying as black or a person of colour, a significant rise from 10.4 per cent in 2024. Cancer Research UK recorded a 7.6 per cent gap and the British Red Cross 11.4 per cent, according to figures reported by The Telegraph.

Senior politicians have raised concerns over positive action schemes under the Equality Act. Shadow culture minister James Wild said people "should be rewarded for their talent and hard work, regardless of their background or ethnicity". Suella Braverman, Reform UK's equalities spokeswoman, stated that "rampant positive action schemes are actively discriminating against white, working-class Brits in favour of ethnic minorities". Lord Young of Acton, founder of the Free Speech Union, told The Telegraph the Act's positive action provisions had become "a get-out-of-jail-free card for any employer who wants to discriminate against white people".

The charities disputed the interpretation of their figures. They said the data did not necessarily indicate unequal pay for the same work, pointing instead to differences in staff roles and reporting between demographic groups.

How it is being reported

• Fury as Oxfam pays white staff 33% lessOxfam, Cancer Research UK and the British Red Cross all recorded negative ethnicity pay gaps in 2025.Daily Express · 23 Oct, 20:04
• British charities spark furious backlash after paying white employees a THIRD less than ethnic minoritiesThree of the UK's largest charities have sparked fury after it emerged white employees were being paid less than their counterparts from ethnic minorities. Despite claims of upholding equality and fairness in the workplace, Oxfam was shown to pay white staff 33 per cent less than those who described themselves as "black or a person of colour". Cancer Research UK and the British Red Cross also admitted they pay white employees up to a third less than black employees, as well as other ethnic minority groups, The Telegraph revealed. While Cancer Research UK paid white staff 7.6 per cent less on…GB News · 22 Oct, 18:12

In this story: Oxfam · Cancer Research UK · British Red Cross · James Wild · Suella Braverman · Lord Young of Acton

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem