Women earn an average of 27% less than their male colleagues do, according to new research.

Men receive average annual salaries of £30,948, while women lag behind, earning just £23,977 on average each year, according to salary comparison website PayFinder.com.

Region % more earned by men - 2005 London 35% East Midlands 32% South East 32% North West 30% South West 30% Scotland 29% East of England 29% Yorkshire & Humber 26% West Midlands 24% Wales 21% North East 19% Northern Ireland 15%

The highest divide is found in London, with men earning 35% more. Northern Ireland has the smallest gender gap at 15%.

CJ Brough of PayFinder.com said: "Despite the significance to our lives, salaries are a notoriously hush-hush subject."

"Invariably discrepancies in salary are explained via a difference in ability, which in turn is based on skill set and experience. Aside from the legal ramifications, it's a nonsense that gender could be a factor in determining salary level."

PayFinder rules out gender job choice as the reason for pay differences. Regardless of industry and indeed role, men still earn more than women do.

According to CJ Brough, Sex discrimination is still rife in the workplace. "Women need to be diligent and take the lead in checking that their pay is fair and equal."

Research conducted by the website in February identified that 66% of women are too scared to ask for more money versus just 24% of men.

"Unfortunately the fairer sex do tend to shy from wage negotiations, whereas conversely, men often have no such reservations," said CJ Brough.