Employers could soon be legally required to include salary information on job adverts under new government proposals designed to make the recruitment process fairer and more transparent.

The plans form part of wider reforms to anti-discrimination laws and would require businesses to provide pay details before candidates apply for a role, helping jobseekers make more informed decisions while reducing the risk of unequal pay.

While ministers have confirmed their intention to introduce greater transparency, the exact details are still being considered through a public consultation.

Officials are seeking views on whether employers should be required to advertise an exact salary, a salary range or a benchmark rate for each vacancy. They are also considering whether additional financial benefits, including bonuses, should be included alongside basic pay.

For roles that are not publicly advertised, employers would instead be required to provide written salary information to applicants before they attend an interview.

According to the Cabinet Office, the changes would not only help jobseekers decide whether a role is suitable, but could also make recruitment more efficient by reducing applications from candidates whose salary expectations do not match what an employer is willing to offer.

The government also believes the proposals could play an important role in tackling workplace inequality.

In a policy document, the Cabinet Office said:

"When pay is opaque, salary decisions can be influenced by stereotypes, such as stereotypes of women, ethnic minorities, or disabled people."

It added that greater transparency could help prevent unequal outcomes when salaries are negotiated or offered to successful candidates.

Although there is currently no legal requirement for employers in the UK to disclose salaries before hiring, many organisations have voluntarily adopted the practice in recent years.

Research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, better known as the CIPD, found salary transparency is far more common across charities and public sector organisations than within the private sector.

However, the organisation has also warned that some advertised salary ranges remain so broad, sometimes exceeding £10,000, that they offer little meaningful guidance to applicants.

The proposals mirror similar legislation already being introduced across the European Union.

Under those rules, employers will be required to disclose either the starting salary or salary range before an interview takes place. European employers will also be prohibited from asking candidates about their previous salary, although that measure is not currently included in the UK consultation.

The Cabinet Office has confirmed it intends for the proposals to apply across England, Scotland and Wales, with the final legislation expected to be drafted following a consultation with employers, businesses and industry groups, which is due to conclude in October.

News of the proposed changes has been welcomed by many jobseekers, who have long argued that unclear salary information wastes both employers' and applicants' time.

One person wrote:

“They're gonna find a loophole or ignore it altogether, watch!”

Another wrote:

“Finally!!! This grey area in pay that be giving employers all types of powers and abilities to fandangle us. Next up, why exactly wasn't I suitable for the role, what's the feedback.”

A third commented:

“Good! Hope that includes contracts, cause I ain't applying if I don't see what you're paying! Out here wasting everybody's time!”

If introduced, the reforms would mark one of the biggest changes to the UK's recruitment process in years. While the finer details are still being decided, many jobseekers will be hoping the changes lead to a more open hiring process, where expectations are clear from the very beginning and pay is no longer left to guesswork.