The UK government will make it a legal requirement for employers to publish salaries in job adverts, under a new "say what you pay" law announced by Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Thursday 5 November.

Jobseekers will no longer have to apply for roles without knowing what they pay. Legislation will be brought forward "as soon as possible", but no date has been set and details on scope and enforcement are still to be published.

Why the government is acting

The move targets young people seeking first jobs: nearly one million 16- to 24-year-olds in Britain — about 13% — are not in employment, education or training, and a youth inactivity review is due later in November.

"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."

How few employers disclose pay today

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found only 41% of employers always publish salary ranges, and only 18% always publish specific salaries. Jobs site Adzuna reported 51% of adverts on its site in September carried salary information, a proportion falling in recent years.

What happens next

The Prime Minister has called on businesses to publish salaries now, not wait for the law. Minister for Women and Equalities Bridget Phillipson said the legislation would follow in due course. The TUC welcomed the move, with general secretary Paul Nowak also calling for flexible working options to be listed in every posting. It follows a call a week earlier from the Equality and Human Rights Commission for employees to have a legal right to know what colleagues earn.

Sources: GOV.UK, New "say what you pay" law to help young people into work, 5 November 2026; Reuters, Britain to make salary disclosure in job ads mandatory, 5 November 2026.