Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Friday the government will legally require employers to publish salaries in job adverts, though scope and enforcement are yet to be set out.
The government said the change would make openness about pay the minimum standard for employers, and would back those that already publish salaries.
Burnham said: “That’s why we will make it a legal requirement for all employers to say what you pay.”
Current practice is patchy. The government cited an estimate from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) that less than half of employers (41%) always publish salary ranges, and only 1 in 5 (18%) always publish specific salaries.
The CIPD figures come from its 2024 report on pay, performance and transparency, so they predate the plan.
The government said early analysis of its consultation showed 94% of respondents backed the requirement, including 93% of businesses.
It gave no date for the law. Ministers will bring forward legislation “as soon as possible”, with details on scope, required information, implementation and enforcement to follow in due course.
Until then, Burnham is asking all businesses to state pay on job adverts now rather than wait for the law to change.
The government said the measure is aimed at young people applying for a first job, who can be asked to apply without knowing what they would earn. It also argued that hiding pay forces women to negotiate blind, leaving them more exposed to lower offers.
Bridget Phillipson, the Minister for Women and Equalities, said: “Mandatory salary information on job adverts will help young people make informed choices, help close the gender pay gap, and tackle an everyday annoyance that can stand in the way of applying for a job.”
Penny East, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, a women’s equality charity, said salary secrecy has left women at a disadvantage and made unequal pay harder to challenge.
She said: “Requiring employers to publish salaries in job adverts is a significant step towards making work fairer for women and tackling the gender pay gap.”
Nishi Mayor, director of employer engagement and partnerships at the Youth Futures Foundation, pointed to youth worklessness. One in eight 16 to 24 year olds is currently not in education, employment or training.
She said clear information about pay could mean more applications from more suitable candidates for employers, helping them secure the talent pipeline they need.
The government said the change belongs to a wider push to get more young people earning or learning. Further reforms will follow the final report of the Milburn Review into youth inactivity, due in the coming weeks.
The same announcement included a work experience commitment from Siemens Mobility, which said its programme will create more than 3,300 opportunities a year and reach 10,000 young people over three years.
It counts towards the government’s ambition of 200,000 additional placements for 14 to 16 year olds.
