UK workers feel more than £5,000 underpaid, poll finds

16 March 2018

Workers in the UK feel they are being undervalued by their employers, with the average person saying they are underpaid for their skills and hard work by over £5,000 a year.

In a OnePoll survey of 2,000 full-time employees, the average worker said they ought to be paid £5,321 more than their current salary, with men typically asking for slightly more (£5,783) than women (£4,833).

Three in ten respondents said a raise was due because their wages had been frozen for too long, while the majority said they work extremely hard but do not feel recognised in their pay packet.

Others noted that they work weekends, and indeed the average respondent said they do nearly six hours of overtime a week. Some pointed to their qualifications or the amount of positive feedback they get from colleagues for a job done well.

The poll also found that a third of those who asked for a raise did not get it.

Feelings of being undervalued at work are supported by national statistics showing real wages have been dropping for ten consecutive months.