Face her future. Exploring the Economic Impact of Brexit on Women

Further information

Economists predicted UK GDP would be between 1.5% and 3.5% lower if the UK stayed in the Single Market and Customs Union and up to 9.5% lower as a result of a no-deal ‘hard' Brexit. The report examined what this fall in GDP would mean for women. It warned that:

+ Sectors such as clothing and textiles which had a majority female workforce were particularly vulnerable to increased trade barriers.
+ Despite promises of additional money for the NHS post-Brexit, a downturn in GDP was likely to result in further cuts to government spending on services. Women, who were more likely to work in the public sector and more likely to need public services, would be the worst affected.
+ Increased tariffs and a fall in the value of the pound were likely to lead to increased food prices, which would hit the poorest families hardest. Women were more likely to be poor and more likely to manage budgets in poor households.
+ A post-Brexit economic crisis could lead to the rolling back of workplace rights, including parental leave, equal treatment and rights for part time workers on which women rely in the name of increased ‘flexibility’ and ‘competitiveness’.

The report also warned that a poor deal with the EU would put the UK in a weaker position to resist pressure from other countries for trade deals that would damage women’s rights at work, adversely impact them as consumers or undermining the quality of public services including:

+ Provisions in trade deals that gave oversees companies the power to sue the UK government if it took action that would damage the profitability of those companies such as increasing the National Living Wage or bringing services that have been privatised back in house.
+ Opening up of the NHS and other public services to overseas competition.
+ Removal of consumer rights preventing the import of chlorine washed chicken or hormone fed beef.
This report was published in March 2018 by the Women’s Budget Group and the Fawcett Society. It looked at the economic impact of Brexit on women. The report showed the economic impact of Brexit would hit women hard, leading to lost jobs, cuts to services and a squeeze on family budgets.

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