How to negotiate your salary and ask for a pay rise with confidence

TUREFF• •0

Asking for more money feels uncomfortable for most people, and plenty of us avoid it entirely. Yet pay tends to build on itself: a higher starting salary affects every rise and pension contribution that follows. The good news is that negotiation is a skill, not a personality trait, and preparation does most of the work.

Find out what the role is worth

You cannot negotiate well without a number in mind.

Look at job adverts for similar roles in your area and sector. Many list a salary range.
Check salary surveys published by professional bodies and recruitment firms.
Talk to people. Ask peers, former colleagues or people in your network what they earn or what range they would expect. In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 means a contract term cannot stop you discussing pay with colleagues to find out whether differences are linked to a protected characteristic such as sex.
Read your employer's gender pay gap report if it has one. Employers in Great Britain with 250 or more staff must publish their figures each year, and they are searchable on the government's reporting service.

Settle on three figures: your ideal, a realistic target, and the lowest you would accept.

Negotiating a new job offer

Let them name a figure first where you can. If asked for your expectations, you can ask what budget they have for the role.
If you must give a number, give a range with your realistic target near the bottom, based on your research.
Thank them for the offer and ask for a little time to consider it. Very few offers are withdrawn because someone asked for a day or two.
Make your case in one or two sentences, linking your request to the skills and results you bring.
Look beyond base pay. Holiday, flexible working, pension contributions, training budget, job title and start date can all be negotiable.
Get the final offer in writing before you resign from your current job.

Asking for a pay rise in your current job

Time it well. Before the annual review, after a big success, or when you have taken on more responsibility are all good moments. Find out when budgets are set.
Keep a record of your achievements throughout the year: projects delivered, money saved, problems solved, praise from clients or colleagues. Numbers help.
Ask for a meeting specifically about pay, rather than squeezing it into the end of a routine catch-up.
Focus on value, not need. Your rent going up is real, but the case that lands is the one about what you contribute and what the market pays.
Name a specific figure or percentage.

Words that help

"Based on my research and the scope of this role, I was expecting something closer to..."
"Over the past year I have taken on... and delivered... I would like to discuss bringing my salary in line with that."
"Is there any flexibility on this?"

Then stop talking and let them respond. Silence feels awkward but often works in your favour.

If the answer is no

Ask what would need to happen for a rise to be possible, and when you can revisit it.
Ask for the reasons in writing or confirm them by email afterwards.
Consider other benefits if salary is genuinely frozen.
Remember you have options. Sometimes the clearest route to a higher salary is a new employer.

If you suspect unequal pay

If a man doing equal work is paid more than you, you may have an equal pay claim. Organisations such as Acas give free, impartial advice on how to raise it, and a trade union can support you if you are a member. Time limits apply to tribunal claims, so do not leave it too long before seeking advice.

Practise out loud

Rehearse with a friend, including the awkward bits. Hearing yourself say a number calmly makes it much easier to do on the day. Have you negotiated a salary or asked for a rise? Share what worked, or what you would do differently, in the comments.