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Newspage Raw

Jobseekers will no longer have to apply for jobs without knowing what they pay, under new plans

ended 06. November 2026

Jobseekers will no longer have to apply for jobs without knowing what they pay, under new plans announced by Prime Minister Andy Burnham to legally require employers to publish salaries in job adverts.

Too many jobseekers are still expected to apply for roles without knowing what they pay, the government said.  It is estimated that less than half (41%) of employers always publish salary ranges and only 1 in 5 (18%) always publish specific salaries.

The government will mandate job adverts to ‘say what you pay’ by making publishing salaries a legal requirement.

The government said the change will tackle a common frustration for jobseekers, particularly young people applying for their first job, who can still be asked to apply without knowing what they will earn while also helping to address pay inequalities that can disadvantage women.

Questions for Newspagers

  1. Is this a good thing? Why?
  2. Are there any negatives to this? Why?
  3. Is there a reason that businesses don't publish pay information?

4 responses from the Newspage community

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Scott GallacherVerified
Director at Rowley Turton
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Whilst transparency is welcome, the Government must recognise that private sector pay isn't simply about job grades. It's also about ability, experience and value to an employer.

Advertising salaries is good practice, saving employers and applicants time when expectations don't match.

However, employees doing similar jobs may justify different salaries because of their contributions.

Mandatory disclosure could create problems, particularly for smaller employers. It could discourage them from paying a premium to attract urgently needed staff, knowing this might trigger wider pay demands from existing employees, potentially leaving smaller businesses with tough choices.

Changing jobs also carries additional risks. New recruits may give up secure employment for a position where they might not survive probation. Higher pay can reflect that risk.

Pay discrimination is already, rightly, illegal. Targeted pay audits could help identify employers breaking the rules.
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Michelle LawsonVerified
Director at Lawson Financial
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For once, this is absolutely right. Every job has a pay point and the employer should declare to the applicant what that is before they apply. If the employer chooses to offer a candidate more then it’s a bonus.

The other side is that this will instantly publicise their payroll so other staff may be disgruntled on any differences.
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Kelly SmallcombeVerified
Fractional Chief People Officer at Meliorem HR Consultancy
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In theory this is a good thing. In practice it will not give jobseekers what they want. The US has been here, and companies just published ranges so wide they told candidates nothing. Pay is competitive information, so there is no incentive to be open, and many firms will advertise roles across several levels with huge bands to avoid showing what they really pay. Some leave pay open because they are flexible and need the right person, and a published range puts off people who assume they are out of reach. Women already skip roles when they do not meet every criterion, and a number may convince them they are not worth it. Others will read the top of the band as their entitlement and walk when the offer lands lower. That will not show up soon, though. In an employers’ market, people are taking pay cuts just to have a job.
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Amelia BrookeVerified
Career Coach at Amelia Brooke Career Vision
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Salary transparency is a double-edged sword. On the plus side, it saves jobseekers time, helps prevent lowball offers, and lets candidates frame their experience around the salary band.

However, when employers are forced to post strict salaries or ranges, it can be tempting to set them conservatively. This can mean companies miss out on high-value, niche candidates applying. It can also leave strong applicants feeling undervalued if offered mid-band instead of the top.