Gender Pay Gap in the Charity Freelancer Sector? Blume Reveals the Answer
Like most freelancers, I've agonised over my rates. What should I charge? Am I underselling myself? What are others charging? As a policy and public affairs specialist on Blume’s platform, I couldn't resist the opportunity to dig into the data and explore the trends in Blume's charity sector freelancer rates.
With almost a thousand Blume freelancers, the analysis reveals intriguing patterns across age, gender and geography - and it’s not what you might expect.
What this data shows (and doesn't)
A crucial note before diving in: The rates discussed throughout are based on the prices that Blume freelancers advertise for their services when setting up their profiles. These figures represent advertised rates, not actual earnings.
What’s missing: This analysis doesn’t reflect who gets hired at these rates, final negotiated prices, hours worked, service specialisations, seniority levels, client location or insights on pricing strategy.
Without this information, we cannot fully determine whether advertised pricing differences translate to actual income gaps or establish the key drivers behind patterns observed. The patterns reflect Blume’s user base specifically, not all charity sector freelancing.
With those caveats in mind, here's what the data reveals.
Pricing trends across career lifecycle
(Sample sizes: 25-34 (n=60), 35-44 (n=180), 45-54 (n=177), 55-64 (n=200), 65+ (n=267))
Blume freelancer pricing follows an inverted U-shape across career lifecycle: younger workers (25-34) and those 65+ advertise lower rates, while mid-career professionals (35-54) command peak pricing at £40-48/hour.
But here’s what’s striking: freelancers aged 55+ are advertising rates significantly lower than peak earning years, with those aged 65+ advertising rates 50% below peak years (£20/hour). Surely these freelancers are the most experienced and therefore able to command premium rates?
Several explanations are possible. Semi-retired professionals may be targeting less demanding projects and pricing themselves accordingly. Or lower rates may reflect a deliberate choice to 'give back' to charities later in their careers. Without more data on their motivations, seniority and service types, we cannot know for sure.
Gender patterns reveal surprising nuances
(Sample sizes: 25-34, (n = 45 F, 15 M) 35-44, (n= F 153, M 27. 45-54, f 132, M 45, 55-64, F 111, M 89. 65+, f 95, M 172. Data from the 18-24 age category has been removed due to small sample size.)
Women make up 60% of Blume’s users, closely mirroring the charity sector's 68% female workforce. Rather than showing a consistent pricing gap, the patterns vary dramatically by career stage.
For most age groups, men and women price almost identically. Blume freelancers in their late twenties and early thirties advertise £35/hour. In their late forties and early fifties - we see almost the same again, with men advertising £42 vs women £43/hour on average.
However, during those peak earning years from 35 to 44, a gap appears. Men advertise around 17% higher rates (£48/hour compared to women pricing £40/hour). Research by the IPSE has highlighted similar patterns in broader self-employment, where they found men earning 43% more than women overall (IPSE, 2020).
Then at 55-64, a striking reversal shows that women advertise 33% higher rates (£30 vs £23), demonstrating that pricing dynamics are far more complex than universal gaps.
Several factors may offer some explanation for these patterns. Pricing may reflect the different service specialisations commanding different rates; strategic decisions on pricing; or experience. Women in the 35-44 age group may also have fewer continuous years of experience due to caregiving breaks, affecting pricing confidence. However we can't tell from this data alone.
Blume’s pricing across UK regions
(Sample sizes: 25-34 (n=60), 35-44 (n=180), 45-54 (n=177), 55-64 (n=200), 65+ (n=267). Total n=934. Freelancers in Northern Ireland and internationally have been excluded due to small samples (n<20).)
Blume freelancer rates are remarkably similar across the UK - spanning £25 to £33 per hour on average. What makes this noteworthy? Londoners don't advertise the highest rates.
The South West (£33), South East (£33), Wales (£33), and North East (£31) all exceed London's £30/hour, while Yorkshire & Humber, Scotland, and West Midlands match it. This challenges patterns seen in traditional employment, in which London workers typically earn 33% more than the national average (Centre for Cities, 2025).
What might explain this geographic leveling?
- Charity budget constraints: The constraints of charity budgets everywhere may quietly set an upper limit on what Blume freelancers are able (and willing) to charge, narrowing the price gap across the UK.
- Remote work dynamics: Perhaps the ongoing shift towards remote working across the charity sector (NCVO, 2024) is leveling the playing field for regional freelancers.
- Transparent pricing: Blume’s approach to pricing - ensuring freelancers’ minimum rates are visible to all users - may also be driving pricing behaviour on the platform.
Overall, it’s clear that Blume’s data reveals a nuanced picture of the rates advertised by its charity freelancers.
Freelancer rates reflect a complex mix of skills, experience, strategy, positioning and an understanding of the market. For charity sector freelancers navigating these decisions, Blume’s transparent approach to pricing is a powerful tool.
When it comes to setting rates as a freelancer, understanding market dynamics is valuable - but ultimately, knowing your own worth matters more.
About This Analysis
This research examines a total of 934 freelancer profiles on Blume (data collected September 2025). Advertised hourly rates have been analysed alongside self-reported demographics including gender, age range, and location.
References:
- NCVO. (2024) UK Civil Society Almanac 2024: Workforce. Available at: https://www.ncvo.org.uk/news-and-insights/news-index/uk-civil-society-almanac-2024/workforce/
- Centre for Cities (2025) Cities Outlook 2025. Available at: https://www.centreforcities.org/publication/cities-outlook-2025/