Equality claim council pays £17m

The claim affects workers such as care workers, cooks and cleaners

More than three quarters of the money offered under equal pay claims against Cumbria County Council has been paid out ahead of the acceptance deadline.

The council said £17.3m of the £23m set aside for women who had lodged claims through two unions had been paid out.

The compensation bid was started in 2002 by female workers paid less than men doing similarly-graded work.

Claimants have until 30 November to accept the offers, otherwise they will have to go through a tribunal.

In September, settlement offers were made to 2,065 members of the GMB and Unison unions.

£40m liability

These included home cooks, cleaners, care assistants, day carers and school crossers.

A further 933 employees have been identified as being entitled to a settlement offer.

They have now been contacted with details of their offer and invited to one of five "equal pay signing days".

The settlement offers are based on the nature of individual claims, how long the employee has been in post and the timing of their claim.

Cumbria County Council has estimated that its overall liability for equal pay settlements is approximately £40m.