Burnham to Mandate Salary Disclosure on Job Adverts

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that employers will be required by law to publish salary information on job advertisements. The government stated that 93% of businesses responded positively to the initial consultation on the measure. This legal requirement aims to eliminate the practice of listing only a "competitive salary," a term that Paul Nowak, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, described as frustrating for jobseekers.

The policy follows a series of smaller economic adjustments implemented in the Prime Minister's first months in office. These recent changes include the removal of VAT from electricity bills, a reduction in bus fares, and the introduction of a £100 council-tax rebate. Burnham positioned these actions as immediate relief measures while his administration works on a longer-term strategy. He has described this approach as a way to address daily frustrations while preparing for more fundamental structural shifts.

Ministers first consulted on the issue in July. The consultation document proposed changes to equal pay laws and greater protections for disabled people and ethnic minorities, though final plans on those specific protections have not yet been detailed. The salary disclosure rule is part of a wider effort to improve pay transparency. Experts noted that omitting pay details makes it difficult for young people to evaluate opportunities and can lead to lower offers for certain groups, including women.

Burnham stated that candidates should know what a job pays before investing time in the application process. He emphasized the need for businesses to provide young people with experience and confidence as they enter the workforce. The Prime Minister is currently developing a 10-year plan to end what he terms "40 years of neoliberalism." This plan is expected to include bringing utilities under public control. Burnham indicated this week that the publication of the plan could be delayed until next year, after initially being expected for next month.

The government has promised further policy changes to support young people's entry into the labor market. These changes will respond to a review by former minister Alan Milburn, which is scheduled for publication in the coming weeks. The new mandate will apply to all employers, although ministers have not yet determined the specific data points required or the enforcement mechanisms. The size of companies subject to the rule remains under review.

Research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development indicated that fewer than half of employers always published salary ranges on job adverts. Less than one-fifth of employers consistently listed specific salary figures. The new law will close this gap by making pay information a standard part of job listings. The government intends to use this data to help current employees assess whether their compensation is fair compared to the market.