20 July 2026
The Government is consulting on proposals that require employers to include salary information in job adverts as part of new pay transparency laws. The Office for Equality and Opportunity has opened a consultation on Equal pay and pay discrimination with the aim to build a new framework that works better for workers and employers.
Under the proposals, employers would need to:
- publish a salary or salary range in the advertisement, or
- provide written salary information before an interview if the role is not publicly advertised.
The strategy the Government is proposing focuses on a two-phased approach. Firstly, by improving the current system by streamlining procedures and strengthening transparency and enforcement. Then second by extending protections to close gaps in the law.
But firstly, the consultation…
Questions being asked in this consultation include:
- what level of transparency should be used during recruitment? Should it be mandatory to show a salary or pay range? The number of actual hours worked rather than the contractual hours? Are there any collective bargaining agreements or other financial benefits that should be included?
- how should employers be required to identify and fix unequal pay? Where pay discrimination is found, should employment tribunals order pay audits or have job evaluation schemes in place?
- what information should employees be entitled to receive in pay discrimination cases? What processes would help resolve disputes efficiently?
- how would greater pay transparency affect employers?
- how should pay transparency be enforced? What guidance, enforcement tools and powers are needed for an effective new Equal Pay Enforcement Unit?
- should the new enforcement function sit within the EHRC, The Fair Work Agency, another public body or a new independent organisation?
- should people experiencing race or disability related pay discrimination have similar protections and remedies etc that are currently available in sex based equal pay claims?
- should rules for bringing equal pay claims be extended and made more flexible?
- what guidance and practical support would help employers monitor and assess pay equality across sex, race and disability?
- should all parties involved in outsourcing be required to take reasonable steps to maintain pay equality? What should happen if they fail to do so?
- what is the overall impact of these proposals? Including operational, legal, administrative and financial impacts. Would changes take more than a year to implement, and are there other reforms the Government should consider?
If implemented, the proposals could significantly change how employers approach recruitment and pay transparency. For job seekers, salary transparency could make it easier to assess whether a role meets their expectations before applying, potentially reducing time spent on unsuitable applications. It is hoped that this will establish fairer hiring processes as it is viewed that the current system fails to efficiently identify discriminatory pay practices or protect those who need it most such as disabled employees, or those from ethnic minority groups and outsourced workers, as it is a fundamental right to have equal pay for equal work.
The consultation remains open until 27 October 2026, and employers, workers, trade unions and other stakeholders are encouraged to contribute their views on how these future equal pay and pay transparency reforms should operate.
Information provided in this news article may be subject to change. Please make note of the date of publication to ensure that you are viewing up to date information.
