Key facts
- UK employers can ask about salary history, but applicants are not obligated to answer.
- New EU rules will ban employers from asking about salary history.
- Campaigns like #EndSalaryHistory aim to stop the practice due to concerns about perpetuating pay inequality.
- Jobseekers can instead focus on their skills, experience, and market rate for the role.
In the UK, job applicants are not legally required to disclose their current salary or salary history, despite employers having the right to ask. This practice is facing increasing scrutiny, with campaigns like #EndSalaryHistory urging a shift away from asking such questions. The Fawcett Society argues that inquiring about salary history risks perpetuating historic pay disparities based on gender, race, and disability, instead of valuing skills, experience, and performance. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation supports this move, encouraging recruiters to refrain from asking. Furthermore, new regulations in the European Union will prohibit employers from inquiring about salary history. Jobseekers are advised to focus on their salary expectations, the market rate for the role, and the value they bring to the position, rather than their past earnings. While some individuals might consider inflating their previous salary, the risks associated with lying in an interview are highlighted as potentially outweighing the benefits.