Women in the UK are more likely than men to leave their job because of a longer commute, according to an analysis by the Office for National Statistics.

The analysis found that women who had an hour-long commute were 29.1% more likely to quit their current job than if they had a ten-minute commute compared to 23.9% of men.

The analysis isolates the impact of commute time and pay on the likelihood of someone leaving his or her job, highlighting the different choices made by men and women in the workplace.

ONS states that as the main providers of childcare and unpaid work, women tend to favour the flexibility offered by a shorter commute. On the other hand, men are more likely to tolerate a longer journey to work in return for higher pay.

“This combination contributes to men doing the majority of high-paid jobs, which in turn contributes to the overall gender pay gap,” the study states.

For both men and women, longer commutes are associated with higher pay and shorter commutes with lower pay. Yet women still favour short commutes (15 minutes or fewer), while men do the majority of longer journeys to work (an hour or more).

ONS also states that this could be because women are less likely to own a car than men, however it added that many people who do not own a car still have access to one, and ONS data show that car journeys to work are more or less equally split between men and women.

The report added that the commuting gap and the pay gap both widen when people start having children.

“More likely, women prefer short commutes because they do more childcare and unpaid work,” ONS states.

Amber Rudd, Minister for Women and Equalities, commented, "Women across the country struggle to find a balance between being a parent and their job. These statistics show how women are likely sacrificing a larger pay packet, and career growth, because they are doing the bulk of childcare and unpaid work, like taking care of elderly relatives and their home.

"I'm determined that women should be supported by the Government and their employer to find that balance. We want to financially empower everyone across the country so they can reach their full potential,” Rudd said.