• Swindon & Wiltshire Economy
• Monday November 9 2026

‘Say What You Pay’: Government plans to force employers to reveal salaries in job ads

Employers could soon be legally required to display salary information in job adverts, under Government plans to make pay transparency the norm and help jobseekers avoid wasting time on roles that do not pay enough.

The proposed ‘say what you pay’ law would require employers to publish salaries in job advertisements, ending the familiar use of vague phrases such as “competitive salary” or “generous perks”.

The Government says the change is designed to tackle pay discrimination, close the gender pay gap and create a fairer jobs market, while giving young people entering work clearer information before they apply.

Prime Minister Andy 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.”

Legislation is expected to be brought forward “as soon as possible”, although the Government has yet to set out exactly which roles will be covered, what pay information must be disclosed, or how the rules will be enforced.

In the meantime, ministers are urging businesses to publish salaries voluntarily rather than wait for the law to change.

The plans have been welcomed by the Trades Union Congress. TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “Anyone who’s searched for a job knows how frustrating it is to read ‘competitive salary’ instead of just saying how much they’ll be paid.

“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?”

Nowak added: “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.”

He also warned that hidden pay can hit certain groups hardest, saying women, black, minority ethnic and disabled workers are often offered lower salaries than colleagues or find roles lack the flexibility they need. He called for employers to list flexible working options in every job posting as well.

The push for transparency comes as new research reveals a major gap between what candidates want and what employers currently offer.

CV-Library’s Candidate Behaviour Barometer 2026, based on surveys of 1,043 UK jobseekers and 233 recruiters and direct employers, found that 42 per cent of UK job adverts did not include salary information over the past 12 months. Just 58 per cent provided pay details upfront.

The findings show how high the stakes are for employers. Some 41% of jobseekers said they would refuse to apply for a role without a listed salary, up from 38 per cent in 2025, while 66 per cent said salary is the single most important aspect of a job advert.

A further 58 per cent said salary information is essential when deciding whether to apply, with 37 per cent saying it is preferred.

Katie Emerton, recruitment expert at CV-Library, said: “There’s a clear disconnect between what candidates want and what employers provide.

“Recruiters recognise that salary is one of the biggest priorities for jobseekers, yet 42 per cent of adverts still leave people guessing, risking losing candidates before they’ve even applied.”

She added that employers do not necessarily need to commit to a fixed figure. “Providing a realistic salary range gives candidates the clarity they’re looking for while allowing businesses flexibility to account for experience,” she said.

With four in ten adverts still withholding pay details, the Government’s plans could force a major shift in recruitment practice – and give jobseekers the clarity they have long been asking for.