By Britain will require employers to publish salaries in job advertisements, with legislation to be introduced to parliament soon, according to ETHRWorld. Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed the move, saying: “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.”
The announcement, reported on 7 November 2026, comes as nearly one million, or 13%, of 16 to 24 year-olds in Britain are not in employment, education or training. Just over two in five employers always publish salary ranges, while fewer than one in five always disclose specific salaries. No timeline was provided for the legislation, but a government review into youth inactivity is due later in November.
The current state of pay transparency in UK hiring
The figures cited in the announcement reveal a patchwork of practice. While some employers already publish salary ranges as standard, many do not, and the gap between ranges and specific salaries matters. A range of £30,000 to £45,000 tells a candidate far less than a stated salary of £38,000, and the government’s focus appears to be on closing that gap.
For HR teams, this means reviewing how job adverts are currently structured. Many applicant tracking systems and job boards have fields for salary, but they are often optional or hidden. The move toward mandatory disclosure will require those fields to become compulsory and visible, not just populated for internal use.
What the legislation is likely to mean for employers
The announcement does not yet specify whether the requirement will apply to all employers or only those above a certain size. That threshold matters. The New York City law, cited in the ETHRWorld report, applies to employers with four or more workers, while the EU pay transparency directive gives member states until June 2026 to implement rules that include pay disclosure in job ads.
UK employers should watch for details on scope, enforcement and penalties. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has been involved in the discussion, and its guidance will likely shape how HR teams interpret the rules. Until the bill is published, employers should avoid assuming that current practices will be sufficient.
Practical steps for HR and payroll teams
Payroll teams hold the data that will underpin compliance. The salary figures published in job adverts need to match what payroll actually pays, including any allowances, bonuses or variable pay that might be presented as part of the package. Inconsistencies between advertised pay and payroll records will create compliance risk and candidate distrust.
HR teams can start by auditing current job adverts and internal salary bands. Where bands are wide or outdated, now is the time to tighten them. A band of £30,000 to £60,000 may be legally compliant but practically useless to candidates, and it invites questions about how pay decisions are made.
Recruiting teams should also prepare for questions from candidates about where their expected salary sits within a published range. Managers will need clear guidance on how to explain pay positioning without undermining the transparency the law is meant to create.
Comparison with other jurisdictions
| Jurisdiction | Requirement | Status |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | Most private employers must disclose salary ranges | In force since 2022 |
| European Union | Pay transparency rules including disclosure in job ads | Member states must implement by June 2026 |
| Britain | Mandatory salary disclosure in job ads | Legislation to be introduced, no timeline given |
The EU directive is particularly relevant for UK employers with operations in member states, as those businesses will already be preparing for similar obligations. The UK approach may differ in detail, but the direction of travel is consistent.
What remains unclear
The announcement leaves several questions unanswered. It does not state whether the requirement covers all employers or only larger ones, whether it applies to internal promotions and transfers, or what penalties will apply for non-compliance. It also does not clarify whether the disclosure must be a specific salary or whether a range will suffice, though the emphasis on “specific salaries” in the reported figures suggests the government wants more than broad bands.
Employers should monitor the bill’s publication and the youth inactivity review later in November. Both will provide context for how the government intends to link pay transparency to its wider employment strategy.
Sources: ETHRWorld
Photo: Job Advertisement Board in Shenzhen -01 by Aimaimyi, CC BY-SA 3.0
