Women face a ceiling made of “reinforced concrete” rather than glass in their efforts to advance in politics and business, it was claimed today after new research revealed that progress had stalled, or even gone into reverse.

An annual study by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) of women in positions of power and influence across the public and private sectors in Britain showed the biggest number of reversals since the first Sex and Power report five years ago.

There are fewer women holding high-flying jobs in 12 of 25 categories, it said. There were fewer women MPs, Cabinet members, national newspaper editors, senior police officers and judges, NHS executives, trade union leaders and heads of professional bodies than a year ago. The number of female media bosses, MEPs, directors of major museums and galleries, chairs of national arts companies and holders of senior ranks in the Armed Forces remained the same.

Women’s presence had increased in only eight areas, including the House of Lords, company directors, council leaders, university vice-chancellors and top civil service managers. In six of these categories the increase was less than 1 per cent.

“To say that things are changing for women at the top at a snail’s pace seems about right,” said the report.

“A snail could crawl nine times round the M25 in the 55 years it will take women to achieve equality in the judiciary, from Land’s End to John O’Groats and halfway back again in the 73 years it will take for equal numbers of women to become directors of FTSE 100 companies and the entire length of the Great Wall of China in 212 years, only slightly longer than it will take for women to be equally represented in Parliament.”

Nicola Brewer, chief executive of the EHRC, said: “We always speak of a glass ceiling. These figures reveal that in some cases it appears to be made of reinforced concrete. We need radical change to support those who are doing great work and help those who want to work better and release talent.

“The Commission’s report argues that today’s findings are not just a women’s issue but are a powerful symptom of a wider failure. The report asks in what other ways are old-fashioned, inflexible ways of working preventing Britain from tapping into talent.”

The study estimated it would take 15 years longer — a total of 55 years — for women to achieve equal status at senior levels in the judiciary.

Kamaljeet Jandu, the GMB union’s national officer for equality, cited three three main reasons for today’s findings.

First, he says women’s issues are seen as political correctness and employers develop a blind spot to the wealth of talent that women bring to any workplace.

Second, many workplaces are still dominated by “old boys’ networks”.

And third, he says there is a need to introduce greater flexible working initiatives, supported by legislation.

“For most women, the issue is not about smashing the glass ceiling — it is about raising their heads above the skirting board,” said Mr Jandu.

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