The best way to ask for a pay rise in your current job is to book a dedicated meeting a few months before pay budgets are set, bring evidence of what similar roles pay and what you have delivered, and ask for a specific figure. Asking at the annual review is often too late, because the budget has usually been decided by then.
This guide is for people already in a role. If you are negotiating a new job offer, see our guide to negotiating salary for a new job. Below you will find how to research your market rate, build the case, handle the conversation and work out what a rise is actually worth in your pay packet.
Work out what you should be paid
Your strongest argument is evidence that the market pays more for your role. Gather three or four data points:
- Current job adverts for similar roles in your area, with salaries listed
- Salary surveys from recruitment agencies and professional bodies in your sector
- The ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, which gives median pay by occupation
- Pay bands in your own organisation, if they are published or you can ask HR
- Any union or collective pay agreement that covers your role
Build your case
Managers need to justify a rise to someone else, so give them the material. Write a one-page summary covering:
- What you have delivered in the last year, with numbers where possible: money saved, revenue, customers, projects completed
- Responsibilities you have taken on since your pay was last set
- Skills or qualifications you have added
- Market data showing the going rate for your role
- A specific figure or range, and the reason for it
Time it well
Timing matters as much as the case. Find out when your organisation sets its pay budget for the next year and raise the subject two or three months before. Good moments include just after a strong result or project, when you take on a bigger role, or after receiving an outside offer. Avoid days when your manager is under pressure or the business has just announced bad news.
If your organisation has a fixed annual pay round, ask your manager what evidence they need to put you forward for more than the standard increase.
How to handle the conversation
Book a meeting specifically about pay rather than raising it at the end of a one-to-one.
- Open with your contribution and your plans, not your personal costs
- State the figure you want and the evidence behind it, then stop talking and let your manager respond
- If the answer is no, ask what you would need to achieve to get a rise and by when, and agree a date to review it
- Follow up in writing with a summary of what was agreed
- Consider non-salary options if pay is frozen: extra holiday, training, flexible working or a higher employer pension contribution
What a pay rise is worth after tax
A rise is taxed at your marginal rate, so you keep less than the headline figure. These examples use 2026/27 rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland: 20% Income Tax and 8% National Insurance in the basic-rate band, and 40% plus 2% in the higher-rate band. Student loan repayments take a further 9% above your plan threshold.
| Rise | Basic-rate taxpayer | With Plan 2 loan | Higher-rate taxpayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| £1,000 | £720 a year | £630 | £580 |
| £2,000 | £1,440 (£120 a month) | £1,260 | £1,160 |
| £5,000 | £3,600 | £3,150 | £2,900 |
Between £100,000 and £125,140 the Personal Allowance is withdrawn, giving an effective 60% tax rate plus 2% NI. In that band, asking for extra employer pension contributions or using salary sacrifice can be worth more than salary. Check your own figures with our pay rise calculator or take-home pay calculator.
If you are on the minimum wage
From 1 April 2026 the National Living Wage is £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, £10.85 for 18 to 20 year olds and £8.00 for under-18s and apprentices. If your pay has not gone up to at least these rates, your employer must correct it and backdate the difference. You can check and complain through Acas or HMRC's minimum wage service.
If the answer is no
A refusal is information. If there is a clear path to a rise, work towards it and keep notes of your progress. If there is no realistic path and the market pays more, applying elsewhere is often the quickest route to higher pay, and an offer may prompt a counter-offer. Weigh the whole package, including pension contributions, holiday and flexibility, not just salary.
When the rise does come, decide what to do with it before it hits your account. Our guides on budgeting after a pay rise and salary sacrifice help, and SYM can turn part of the extra into a daily savings habit before lifestyle creep takes it.
Frequently asked questions
How much of a pay rise should I ask for?
When is the best time to ask for a pay rise?
How much will a £2,000 pay rise add to my take-home pay?
Can I ask for a pay rise after a year?
What can I ask for instead of a pay rise?
- pay rise
- salary negotiation
- career
- take-home pay
- UK employment