Glasgow Social Sciences Hub

This research, which is funded by the Nuffield Foundation, is the first to study the nature and extent of women’s multiple low-paid employment (MLPE) in the UK. It examined the relationships between MLPE, caring responsibilities and health and well-being.

The final report, ‘Women in Multiple Low-Paid Employment: Pathways Between Work, Care and Health’ found that weekly pay for women in multiple low-paid employment is forty percent lower than it is for all working women, according to the first UK-wide study on women’s multiple low-paid employment, led by the University of Glasgow.

It also found that for almost half of women in multiple low-paid employment, the combined hourly pay rate across all their jobs falls below the National Minimum/Living Wage – a situation that is worsened by the rising cost of living.

Key findings about women in MLPE include:

• For almost half of women in multiple low-paid employment, the combined hourly pay rate across all their jobs falls below the National Minimum/Living Wage
• Over 1 in 10 are in debt, with 1 in 20 in arrears in utility bills
• Almost 1-in-5 women experience MLPE at some point over a decade
• Half of women in MLPE have caring responsibilities
• Almost half are educated to degree level

Read full report on the Nuffield Foundation website.

This research is funded by the Nuffiled Foundation and has received support from the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA)

 

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Media Courage 

We had some media activity (BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Scotland) – and you can hear Tanya Wilson (Co-I) and Jackie McMaster (research participant working 3 jobs) in this clip (scroll to 1: 15: 32)

Lunchtime Live - 29/05/2024 - BBC Sounds

Virtual Exhibition

Below is a selection of posters, artwork and videos from the project recent exhibition, 'Women’s Work: The Juggling Act of Multiple Jobs'. The exhibition showcases the research based at the University of Glasgow exploring women’s low-paid employment, highlighting issues around multiple paid and unpaid work, caring responsibilities and health and wellbeing.  It builds on the Pouring Out, Pouring In: Mapping Women’s Work exhibition - that was an output of a collaboration with Glasgow Women’s Library and artist Ailie Rutherford - and involved women from the project in developing artworks that visualise women's multiple low paid and unpaid labour.

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(SLIDES 8 - 15, ARTWORK CREDIT: "Pouring Out, Pouring In: Mapping Women's Work" by artist Ailie Rutherford, 2023)

Audio Recordings

Audio recordings with women partcicipants describing artworks created through Mapping Women's Work worksops with artist Ailie Rutherford at Glasgow Women's Library, 2023.

 Over 100 women were interviewed for the project. Below are contributions from three women who were part of the study. In the clips they share their personal experiences and highlight the challenges faced by many women working multiple low-paid jobs. 

Jackie's Story 

Jenni's Story

Lynne's Story 

This research has been supported by the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) 

First published: 15 May 2024