UK women are less likely to have been given a pay rise or a bonus in the last six months than men, according to a new study.

Randstad, the recruiter, polled 2,000 people across the UK and found that, during the last six months, only 43% of women received a pay rise (in the form of higher wages, a salary increase, or a bigger bonus) — compared to 50% of men.  The seven percentage point gap in the UK is far wider than the average gap of four percentage points recorded by Randstad internationally.

While 9% of men say they have received a “significant” pay rise in the last six months, only 4% of women say the same.  With approximately 15.7 million women employed across the country, UK women have been shortchanged to the tune of over 1 million pay rises over the last six months. The research also found that 30% of women say their job fails to provide the pay they need to live the life they want — compared to 25% of men.

It’s not the fault of women not wanting it enough.  We care.  Women have told us that they are taking action to minimise the effects of discrimination

More women than men say pay is important to them when considering their current job and/or potential future employment — 94% compared to 93% of men.  Randstad’s research found that 21% of UK women requested or campaigned for better pay at work; 13% agreed “I have threatened to quit to negotiate better pay”; and 20% reported having quit due to low pay.

Randstad also asked employees, “What do you consider to be most important in an employer’s equality, diversity, inclusion, and belonging policies?”.  Whilst 41% named Gender Pay Equity as their top priority – only 25% of men said the same.

Victoria Short, chief executive of Randstad UK, said: “This study’s findings are disheartening and shed light on a stark reality — pay inequality persists in the UK.  It’s alarming to see that a significant number of women in the UK are being denied well-deserved salary increases and bonuses, further amplifying the existing wage gap.  Gender pay equity is still a long way off when pay rises are being orchestrated and awarded so unevenly.

“It’s not the fault of women not wanting it enough.  We care.  Women have told us that they are taking action to minimise the effects of discrimination.  They’re asking for more pay and threatening to leave unless they get it.  And in many cases, they’re jumping ship to organisations that value them more highly. ”