Employers to be forced to show salaries in job adverts under "say what you pay" law
Prime Minister Andy Burnham says legislation will come forward as soon as possible to help young people and tackle pay inequality. Unions have welcomed the move.
A Jobcentre Plus office. The UK Government says all employers will have to state pay in job adverts. · Photograph: Ross4587 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Employers will be made to say how much they are prepared to pay new staff in their job adverts, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said.
The UK Government says it will bring forward legislation for the "say what you pay" law as soon as possible, as part of a drive to help young people entering the workforce and to tackle pay inequalities, including the gender pay gap.
"You should know what a job pays"
Mr Burnham said that whether someone is a young person starting out or a parent trying to support their family, they should know what a job pays before spending time applying for it.
"That's why we will make it a legal requirement for all employers to say what you pay," he said.
How many employers already do it?
Research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) previously found that 41% of employers always included salary information in their job adverts.
Around 27% never did, according to the 2023 survey of 832 decision-makers with hiring responsibilities.
Unions welcome the move
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak welcomed the plan. "Anyone who's searched for a job knows how frustrating it is to read 'competitive salary' instead of just saying how much they will pay," he said.
"Why should a candidate be expected to go through a lengthy application and interview process without knowing whether the job will actually pay them enough to get by?"
"It's absolutely right that the government clamp down on this disrespectful practice. Employers should be up front with potential recruits and clearly state how much a role will be paid."
Mr Nowak added that the government should also require employers to list flexible working options in every job posting.
The Youth Futures Foundation, which works to improve employment opportunities for young people, also welcomed the move.
What it means for Scottish jobseekers
Employment law is reserved to Westminster, so the new rules would apply to employers in Scotland as well as the rest of the UK.
For jobseekers in Glasgow and across the country, it would mean an end to vague phrases such as "competitive salary" and "pay dependent on experience" in adverts, making it easier to compare roles and negotiate fair pay.