By Islam El-Sakka
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced plans to introduce legislation that would legally require all employers to disclose salary details in job advertisements, a move aimed at improving transparency for job seekers.
Burnham: 'You should know what a job pays'
"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." He also urged businesses to open more doors to give young people experience and confidence entering the workforce.
TUC and campaigners welcome move
The Trades Union Congress general secretary Paul Nowak welcomed the announcement, calling it "absolutely right" to clamp down on the practice of listing "competitive salary" without specifics. Nowak also urged the government to require employers to list flexible working options in every posting. Research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development previously found that 41% of employers always included salary information, while 27% never did, according to a 2023 survey of 832 hiring decision-makers.
Nishi Mayor of the Youth Futures Foundation said clear pay information helps young people make informed decisions and can attract more suitable candidates. Penny East, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, said salary secrecy has disadvantaged women, making it harder to challenge unequal pay, and that publishing salaries is a significant step toward closing the gender pay gap.
Labour faces criticism over youth employment
The announcement comes amid scrutiny of Labour's handling of the jobs market. Official data shows 13% of 16 to 24-year-olds were not in education, employment or training (NEET) between April and June this year, with the number topping one million earlier in 2026 for the first time since 2013. A review into young people and work led by former Labour health secretary Alan Milburn is due to conclude later this month.
Vacancies fall as political debate intensifies
Office for National Statistics data shows job vacancies fell by an estimated 21,000 to 691,000 in the three months to September. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch claimed the Budget had "destroyed jobs," arguing businesses need cheaper energy, flexible labour markets and lower taxes. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey attributed the lack of jobs to weak economic growth and the "terrible damage of the Conservative Brexit deal."
