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Gender Pay Gap Report 2026

What’s gender pay gap reporting?

Under the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017, all employers with 250 or more colleagues on a specific date (snapshot date) must carry out and publish six statutory gender pay gap calculations. The snapshot date for Dreams is 5 April each year and this analysis is based on colleagues employed on 5th April 2025, using our April 2025 payroll data.

The gender pay gap measures the difference between the mean (average) and median (middle point) earnings of men and women. This is different to equal pay, which refers to paying men and women the same for performing the same or similar work, or work of equal value.

Gender representation at Dreams

As at 5th April 2025, our overall workforce composition was:

  • Male: 69%
  • Female: 31%

This reflects a 1% increase in female representation compared to the previous year.

The charts below show the gender split across the business. Retail and BQ (head office) have a more balanced representation, while DBF (our manufacturing plant) and Distribution remain predominantly male due to the nature of the roles in those areas.

Bonus gap chart

Pay gap

Using April 2025 payroll data, our gender pay-gap results are:

  • Mean pay gap: +0.07%
  • Median pay gap: -2.70%

A positive percentage shows that women have lower pay or bonuses than men at Dreams. A negative percentage shows that men have lower pay or bonuses than women.

Both our mean and median measures remain low and are better than the national average. The median figure indicates that on average women at Dreams earn slightly more than men. Both measures have improved year on year.

Bonus gap

Using data for the 12-month period ending 5 April 2025 for those colleagues who received a bonus, the gap results are:

  • Mean pay gap: -20.82%
  • Median pay gap: -168.95%

The negative bonus gap indicates that the mean and median bonus values received by female colleagues was higher than the bonus value received by men. This was driven by a greater proportion of women working in roles where bonus opportunities are higher.

Bonus participation rates

Each area of Dreams has its own bonus scheme, and all our colleagues are eligible to earn a bonus.

The chart below shows the proportion of male and female colleagues that received bonus pay during the 12-month period ending 5th April 2025.

Bonus gap chart

The 11.7% of men and 9.4% of women who did not earn a bonus is primarily the result of colleague departures and new joiners who had yet to meet eligibility criteria or targets.

Pay quartiles

For this chart, colleagues are ranked by hourly rate of pay from lowest to highest and divided into four equal bands (quartiles). The chart shows the distribution of men and women across each quartile.

Gender of workforce

These figures exclude colleagues not receiving full pay during the 12 months immediately prior to the snapshot date.

Summary Statement, Director of People

We are pleased to report that our gender pay gap remains better than the national average and has improved year on year. Maintaining our focus on these gap indicators will be key to upholding fair payment standards in all business areas. At Dreams, we continuously review our recruitment and reward strategies and efforts are being made to ensure we continue to attract and develop more female talent within our organisation.

Gender of workforce

Gemma Saunders

Declaration, Chief Financial Officer

As Chief Financial Officer for Dreams Ltd, I confirm that the information in this report is accurate and has been prepared in line with statutory requirements covering Dreams Ltd and its affiliated brand Feather & Black.

Gender of workforce

Petra Kasperova