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Burnham urges firms to publish pay in job adverts ahead of new law
Andy Burnham has urged businesses to include salaries in job adverts now, ahead of planned legislation that would make pay disclosure compulsory. The government says the requirement would help job-seekers understand a role’s pay before applying and could contribute to reducing gender pay inequalities.
The prime minister said the government would bring forward legislation “as soon as possible” and require all employers to state what a job pays. Burnham said young people also need more opportunities to gain work experience and confidence. The announcement follows Chancellor John Healey’s comments in the Autumn Budget and comes as UK firms with European operations face a fragmented rollout of EU pay transparency rules, which require salary ranges in job listings and, for some companies, gender pay gap reporting.
In short
- Burnham wants firms to publish salaries in job adverts before a new law takes effect.
- The government plans to make pay disclosure compulsory for all employers.
- The policy is intended to help job-seekers and address gender pay inequalities.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Publishing salary ranges in job adverts lets applicants make informed decisions before investing time in an application and may reduce the risk that unequal pay expectations or negotiating power disadvantage women and other groups. Introducing a common requirement could also make recruitment clearer and more consistent, while encouraging employers to review unexplained pay gaps.
The case against
A legal requirement could add administrative work, especially for smaller employers and firms operating across jurisdictions with different transparency rules. Some employers may find it difficult to set a meaningful range before assessing a candidate’s experience, and disclosing ranges could constrain pay discussions or reveal commercially sensitive information; voluntary guidance or targeted measures might address the problem with more flexibility.