UK job applicants are not legally required to disclose their current salary when asked during an interview, though employers retain the right to pose the question.
Louise Rudd, senior adviser at the UK workplace advice and conciliation service Acas, confirmed that no regulations prevent employers from asking about current or expected salaries. However, she noted that employers asking the question must pose it consistently to all applicants to ensure fair treatment.
A campaign called #EndSalaryHistory has urged employers to stop requesting salary history information. The Fawcett Society, which campaigns for women and gender equality, argued that the practice perpetuates historic pay gaps linked to gender, race and disability inequality. The society said asking the question means employers reward perceived worth and negotiating skills rather than basing pay on skills, experience and performance.
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation supported this position and encouraged recruiters to discontinue the practice. The EU has moved further, implementing new rules that will ban employers from asking about salary history across the bloc.
The UK Cabinet Office has not included such a ban in its plans. Instead, the government is concentrating on requiring employers to publish salary information in job adverts.
If asked about salary, applicants can choose to disclose their current pay, decline to answer, or suggest an alternative approach. Rudd said some people prefer to state their salary expectations or outline their understanding of the market rate for the role. Recruitment firms often recommend that candidates focus on their skills and experience as a basis for compensation rather than anchoring to previous pay.
Shazia Ejaz, director of campaigns at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, advised jobseekers to approach pay questions with "realism but also confidence". She said candidates in the strongest position to negotiate are those who have researched market rates for the role and can clearly explain the value they will bring to the employer.