Politics

UK Government Urges Firms to Post Salary Details in Job Ads Ahead of New Legislation

By Today News Hours Editorial Desk

The UK government has urged companies to include salary information in job adverts now, rather than wait for new legislation that will make it mandatory. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the change would help job seekers, especially first‑time applicants, and could reduce pay discrimination. The Cabinet Office announced a consultation on pay transparency in the summer, receiving 94% support from respondents. Burnham added that knowing a job’s pay before applying would benefit both young people and parents.

The move is part of efforts to reduce the nearly one million young people classified as NEET (not in education, employment or training) ahead of the Milburn Review’s final report. Publishing salary details could expose unjustified pay gaps, give workers confidence to challenge discrimination, and prevent pay disputes.

Similar EU rules require employers to disclose initial pay or a range in job adverts or before interviews. Data from the UK jobs site Adzuna show that 51% of adverts in September included salary information, though the proportion has fallen in recent years. Adzuna co‑founder Andrew Hunter said openness about pay should be the norm and that adverts with salaries attract more and better‑matched applicants.

The CIPD, an HR industry body, found that public sector and charities are more likely to reveal pay than private firms, and that pay ranges are more common than specific figures. CIPD chief executive Neil Carberry said giving salary details is a good idea in principle but complex in practice, as pay is often based on a candidate’s skills, experience and potential. He argued that drafting job adverts should be left to good employer practice rather than government regulation.

The government will publish further details on required information and enforcement in due course. Last week the Equality and Human Rights Commission welcomed the move, calling it a positive step and urging that employers respond to pay‑disclosure questionnaires to curb discrimination. The EHRC also said employers should not ask about current salary when making an offer, as this can perpetuate discrimination. Currently, employers may ask about an applicant’s current pay, but applicants are not obliged to disclose it.