The UK government plans to make salary disclosure compulsory in job adverts, with legislation to be introduced as soon as possible. Prime Minister Andy Burnham urged employers to publish pay details now.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
The UK government plans to make it a legal requirement for employers to publish salaries in job adverts, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced. The legislation will be introduced “as soon as possible”, though the government has not yet set a date for the rules to take effect, specified what information employers must disclose, or set out penalties for non-compliance.
The government said 94 per cent of respondents to a consultation backed compulsory salary information, including 93 per cent of businesses. It argues the change will help jobseekers, reduce wasted applications, and expose unfair pay differences, particularly those affecting women.
Burnham said: “Whether you’re a young person starting out or a parent trying to support your family, you should know what a job pays before spending your time and effort applying for it. That’s why we will make it a legal requirement for all employers to say what you pay.”
Bridget Phillipson, Minister for Women and Equalities, said: “What a job pays is rightly at the forefront of people’s minds when looking for work – it shouldn’t be a guessing game.”
Research cited by the government shows that 41 per cent of employers always advertise salary ranges, while only 18 per cent consistently publish a specific figure. The proposals follow similar rules being introduced across the European Union, where employers will be required to disclose starting salaries or pay ranges to job applicants.
The announcement is part of a wider government drive to tackle youth unemployment. Figures cited by the Youth Futures Foundation show that around one-in-eight people aged 16 to 24 are not in education, employment or training.
Penny East, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, said: “For too long, salary secrecy has put women at a disadvantage, leaving them negotiating in the dark and making it much harder to challenge unfair and unequal pay.”
Neil Carberry, chief executive of the CIPD, said publishing salary guidance was “a good thing” but warned that setting pay was more complicated in practice. “There isn’t always a single fixed figure, and employers will want to set pay based on a candidate’s skills, experience and potential. A salary range gives employers that flexibility while giving candidates a clear expectation of pay,” he said. “It’s complex though, which is why job advert drafting is best left to good employer practice rather than government regulation.”
Conservative shadow business secretary Julia Lopez said: “At a time when employers are finding it harder and harder to take on staff, Labour have decided to make their lives even more difficult. It should be up to businesses to decide what information they advertise about job openings, and to decide how to attract the best applicants.”
The law would end the practice of advertising jobs without pay details, a change the government says will help workers challenge pay discrimination and give applicants clearer expectations before applying. Details on scope, enforcement and implementation are still to be announced.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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