Do I have to include salary in a job advert?

What do employers have to do now?

You must recruit and pay people lawfully, even when an advert does not state salary. The advert question is separate from the rules governing selection, pay and employment terms.

• Recruit without discrimination. Acas recruitment guidance explains that advert requirements must not unlawfully exclude people with protected characteristics. Apply your recruitment policy consistently.
• Meet equal pay obligations. Men and women doing equal work must receive equal pay, subject to lawful reasons for differences. These rules cover contractual benefits as well as wages. Other unlawful pay discrimination is also prohibited. See Acas on equal pay.
• Provide written employment particulars. In Great Britain, the principal statement must include pay and working hours and be provided on or before the first day of work. See Acas on written statements.

Agencies have additional advertising rules. GOV.UK agency guidance sets out what an advert must contain, including extra details when it states a pay rate. Also check your sector, recruitment policy and chosen jobs board's rules.

What salary information would the proposed rule require?

The proposal would require all employers to publish pay information in job adverts. Where there is no advert, candidates would receive it in writing before the interview. The government consultation asks what information should be required and whether employers should provide a salary, range or benchmark rate.

The precise requirements, including range width and information beyond basic salary, remain to be settled. The consultation does not confirm an implementation date. Its 27 October 2026 closing date is the deadline for feedback.

For a vacancy you are advertising now, prepare a range you can fund and explain, while following the existing rules.

Are the rules the same across the UK and the EU?

Check the jurisdiction where you are employing someone. This guide covers Great Britain. The current consultation applies to England, Scotland and Wales.

Northern Ireland: employment law is devolved and rights can differ. Use Northern Ireland employer guidance rather than assuming this guide covers a Northern Ireland vacancy.

EU recruitment: the EU Pay Transparency Directive had a national-law transposition deadline of 7 June 2026. Check the applicable country's implementation rules when hiring there. That EU deadline does not create a general Great Britain advert requirement.

Why publish a salary range now?

It lets candidates decide whether the vacancy fits their expectations. Someone seeking £45,000 can assess a £35,000 to £40,000 role before both sides spend time on interviews.

A published range gives the hiring manager, recruiter and finance approver a common starting point. It makes questions about hours, bonus and salary placement easier to answer consistently.

Government pay transparency guidance recommends explaining pay decisions and including pay information in adverts. Transparency works best when the figures reflect what you would actually offer.

What should a clear salary statement look like?

State basic pay, the pay period and working hours, then explain variable pay separately. Give candidates enough detail to compare the offer without guessing what the headline number includes.

The figures illustrate clear wording. They are not a researched benchmark or recommended offer for this job. Replace bracketed details with your actual terms before publishing.

Use a fixed figure if everyone joining starts on the same pay. For a published pay scale, distinguish the starting salary from the full scale and explain progression.

How do you choose a salary range for a job advert?

Benchmark the work, agree an affordable offer range and write down the placement criteria. A familiar job title alone is not enough to justify the figures.

1. Define the vacancy. Record responsibilities, location, paid hours, required capabilities and whether the pay is basic salary or total earnings.
2. Compare relevant evidence. Check role coverage, data date and pay basis. National occupation earnings and advertised salaries answer different questions. Our UK salary guide for employers explains national reference figures.
3. Agree the budget. Include employer National Insurance, pension and other employment costs. Approve the upper end before advertising it.
4. Check the internal position. Consider people doing comparable work and investigate unexplained differences. A market benchmark does not replace an equal pay review.
5. Explain salary placement. Identify the relevant capabilities that would support a higher starting offer. Apply those criteria consistently.

For the full process, read how to benchmark a salary for a new hire. If you need different evidence, compare UK salary benchmarking tools and providers.

How should part-time pay, bonus and commission be shown?

Show actual pay, with the full-time equivalent clearly labelled. If a £35,000 full-time salary is based on 35 hours, a 21-hour role pays £21,000 a year on the same hourly basis.

Write: “£21,000 gross per year for 21 hours a week (£35,000 full-time equivalent based on 35 hours).” This is clearer than “£35,000 pro rata” alone.

For commission roles, state guaranteed basic salary separately from on-target earnings (OTE). Explain target assumptions and whether commission is capped. For shift allowances or overtime, say when they apply and whether the headline figure includes them.

Keep your evidence comparable. A total-earnings measure should not be described as guaranteed basic salary.

How do you check the range against minimum wage?

Check the applicable rate and the statutory calculation for the work. Use current GOV.UK minimum wage rates, including the rules for age and apprenticeships.

Dividing annual salary by weekly hours and 52 can flag a possible issue. It does not establish compliance: pay reference periods, work type, working time and certain deductions affect the calculation. Follow HMRC's minimum wage guidance and recheck when rates, hours or deductions change.

Common questions about salary in job adverts

Can I still write “competitive salary”?

There is no general Great Britain requirement to replace that phrase with a number as at the review date. But it gives applicants little information. A funded salary or realistic range helps them assess the offer.

How wide should the salary range be?

Reflect genuine starting offers for the vacancy. If the lower end describes a trainee and the upper end an experienced manager, separate the role levels or explain them clearly. Avoid advertising a top figure you would not approve.

Does a benchmark prove that our pay is fair?

No. It informs a market decision. Equal pay compliance also depends on the work, your organisation's pay decisions and the reasons for differences between people.

What if we could stretch beyond the advertised range?

Agree how exceptions will be approved before advertising. If your budget or role requirements change, update the advert and communicate the revised offer consistently to candidates.

What should you check before publishing?

Make sure the advert describes an offer you can deliver.

• Basic salary or range is approved, with a clear pay period.
• Paid hours and any full-time equivalent are explicit.
• Bonus, commission, allowances and benefits are described separately.
• Starting salary criteria are relevant to the work.
• Minimum wage and internal pay concerns have been checked.
• The recruiter, jobs board and careers page show consistent figures.