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‘Say what you pay’ to tackle pay inequality: What it means for workers
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Amberley Davis
Finally, no more bad surprises after a lengthy interview process.
The UK Government is making publishing salaries on job adverts a legal requirement, in an effort to address the growing gender pay gap.
On 5th November, Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed that 'say what you pay' will legally require employers to advertise salaries. No more guesswork. No more trying to figure out what “we offer a competitive salary” really means. No more bad surprises after a lengthy interview process.
This will come as a huge relief to all job seekers. It’s thought that only 18% of companies consistently publish specific salaries. But the legislation hopes to be a particular milestone for women - tackling pay discrimination with transparency - following the gender pay gap increase from 10.9% to 11.5%.
Why salary transparency matters for pay equality
Gender equity charity The Fawcett Society, who unveiled these statistics in November, have long campaigned against ‘salary secrecy’. They call the legislation real progress that will help mitigate the risk of “negotiating in the dark” and making decisions “based on vague promises and unclear terms,” according to chief executive Penny East.
It’s now calculated that women effectively work without pay for the last 42 days of the year, compared with men. This is marked by Equal Pay Day, which in 2026 will fall on 20th November - having moved forward two days from last year.
The Fawcett Society have also called for a legal ‘right to know’ where unequal pay is suspected, as well as an end to salary-history questions that serve to reinforce bias and discrimination.
Read more: When is a part-time job not really part-time? Why women are overworked and underpaid
How age and motherhood affect the gender pay gap
Inheritant structural barriers in the workplace mean that the pay gap gets worse throughout women’s careers. Overtime, disproportionate caregiving responsibilities, salary-history bias, part-time work penalties and childrearing breaks compound. As a result, the gender pay gap is significantly greater for women over forty, compared with those in their twenties.
Parenthood is a standout factor. This goes beyond maternity leave and childrearing breaks, to the drop in salary many women experience when the re-enter part or full-time work. As it stands, mothers with two children earn 26% less than women without children.
‘Say what you pay’ won’t solve everything, of course, but it is a significant move against recruitment bias. In his announcement, Burnham expressed hope that published salaries would “expose unjustified differences in pay, give workers greater confidence to challenge discrimination and prevent disagreements over pay escalating into disputes.”
For now, all we know is that the legislation is expected to come in “as soon as possible”. But the Prime Minister encourages UK employers to make the change now – and not wait for the law to change.
