Understand
The job interview question you don't have to answer about your salary
Overview
While UK employers are legally permitted to ask job applicants about their current salary, candidates are not obliged to answer. Campaigners and recruitment bodies have urged employers to stop asking for salary history to prevent perpetuating historic pay inequalities, and new EU rules will ban the practice. However, the UK has no current plans for a ban, focusing instead on publishing salary information in job adverts. Experts advise jobseekers to focus on their skills, experience, market rates, and salary expectations rather than disclosing previous pay.
Key points
- UK employers are legally allowed to ask job applicants about their current salary, but candidates are under no obligation to answer.
- Campaigners argue that asking for salary history perpetuates historic pay gaps related to gender, race, and disability.
- New EU rules will ban employers from asking about salary history, but the UK currently has no plans to implement a similar ban.
- UK plans instead focus on encouraging employers to publish salary information in job advertisements.
- Experts recommend that jobseekers deflect salary history questions by focusing on their skills, experience, and the market rate for the role.