UK employers will be forced to include salaries in job adverts, Burnham says

‘Competitive salary’ no more...

As per the proposal, the goal is to provide transparency for job seekers, particularly for young people and women, and address barriers to employment.

Burnham has said employers will have to disclose what they are willing to pay new hires.

“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”, Burnham said.

“That’s why we will make it a legal requirement for all employers to say what you pay.”

Businesses should also “open more doors and give young people the experience and confidence to take that first step into the world of work”, the prime minister added.

Burnham's move to get rid of the 'frustrating' practice has been backed

Trades Union Congress (TUC) general secretary Paul Nowak welcomed the move.

“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”, he said.

“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?”, he 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.”

According to research by the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development), 41% of employers always included salary information in their job adverts.

However, around 27% of employers never included salary information, according to the 2023 survey of 832 decision-makers who have hiring responsibilities.