Asking for a pay rise can feel like a necessary evil. Many of us feel like we deserve one, but few of us actually want to put the request in. Now, a new YouGov poll has revealed a substantial gender gap when it comes to asking for and receiving a salary bump.

Whereas 46% of men said they have asked for a pay rise, just 33% of women said the same. Meanwhile, 31% of men said they have asked for a pay rise and been successful, compared to just 21% of women.

Women aged between 18 and 29 are least likely to have asked for a pay rise, partly because their working life has been shorter. Just 16% of women in this age group said they have asked for a pay rise and been successful, while a further 17% said they have asked and been turned down.

Disappointingly, the gender gap is exacerbated by class, with women in working-class jobs less likely to have asked for a pay rise than women in middle-class jobs. They’re also less likely to have received one.

We recently spoke to 11 Refinery29 readers about how they managed to secure their biggest ever salary bump. “Don’t undersell yourself and always ask for more,” advised a 30-year-old reader from London. “If you don’t ask, you won’t get a pay rise.”

Meanwhile, 27-year-old Joanne, a charity sector worker from West Dorset, recommended: “Check what industry standard is. I had no idea that my salary was below the industry standard and if I had, I would probably have thought, Well, I work for a charity.”

Deb, a 24-year-old from London who works in engineering and tech, pointed out that “half of the negotiation is mindset and knowing your worth”.

“I would say I’ve been similarly talented throughout the past year but I’ve become more confident and not afraid to shy away from money conversations,” she added.

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