Pay rises for property sector workers mirroring house price increases

People working in the property sector have received an average pay rise of 7.2% over the past year, a survey has found.

The increase mirrors a 7.2% uplift in house prices seen across 2016, as reported by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) earlier this week.

Male property professionals earn £11,113 on average more than their female colleagues, with men typically earning £54,931 and women getting £43,818, according to the research from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) and property sector recruitment agency Macdonald & Company.

Estate agents, health and safety workers, planners, building surveyors and architects were among those who took part in the survey.

Rics said, "encouragingly", the gender pay gap is less evident for men and women starting out on a career in property.

ONS figures have shown average earnings increased by 2.6% in the year to December.

Just over half (53%) of those taking part in the Rics survey believe their organisation will increase its headcount in 2017.

More than 8,400 people from across the UK took part in the survey.

The Government recently unveiled wide-ranging plans to boost housebuilding across England.

The moves aim to speed up the housebuilding process and encourage innovation from smaller builders, as well as helping renters.

Sarah Speirs, director of communications and external affairs at Rics, said the industry has started to take action to tackle the "disheartening" gender pay gap.

She said it "must maintain this momentum to create a more balanced workforce that attracts the best talent if it wants to remain competitive".