ABSTRACT
In the UK, 35.3 per cent of all women of working age work full time (an average of 40.6 hours a week), 26.5 per cent work part time (an average of 18 hours a week) and 4 per cent are classified as unemployed. Almost 29 per cent of women are presented as economically inactive (HMSO, 1998). The main reason for the disparity between men and women in this category is that people (most likely women) who are financially supported by a partner cannot technically be considered unemployed. Table 6.1 compares the economic activity figures for women and men in the UK.
