The government plans to require employers to publish salary information when advertising roles. For applicants, that should make it easier to decide whether a job is worth exploring.

For employers, it raises bigger questions. Are your pay decisions consistent? Can managers explain them? Does your overall package help you attract the people you need and retain the people you already have?

These are workforce planning questions, too.

At Zatori, we provide strategic workforce planning through our fractional Head of Talent Acquisition service. We help businesses connect their growth plans with the people, pay and hiring decisions needed to deliver them, without the commitment of a full-time appointment.

Here’s what we know about the proposed changes to pay transparency in the UK, and how our free guide can help you get ready.

“Say What You Pay” is the government’s plan to make publishing salary information in job adverts a legal requirement.

The idea has been developing for some time. In March 2022, the Conservative government announced a voluntary pilot in which participating employers would publish salary details and stop asking applicants about their salary history. Read the original pilot announcement.

The government has now gone a step further. On 5 November 2026, it announced its intention to legislate, making salary disclosure a requirement rather than a voluntary choice. Read the government announcement.

There is no confirmed start date yet.

The government says it will bring forward legislation as soon as possible. Its announcement does not itself introduce a new legal duty, although it encourages employers to publish salary information now. Government position on the timetable.

The consultation proposed a requirement for all employers in England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland is outside the scope of that consultation.

It also proposed that, where there is no job advert, candidates should receive pay information in writing before their interview. The final requirements still need to be settled. Read the consultation proposals.

Those details remain undecided.

The consultation asked whether employers should publish a specific salary, a range or a benchmark rate. It also considered what information beyond basic salary should be included. We should therefore avoid assuming the final rules on salary ranges, bonuses or benefits are already agreed. See the questions under consultation.

Putting a salary range on an advert is one task. Explaining it is another.

An applicant might focus on the highest number. An existing employee might wonder why their pay sits near the bottom. A manager might be asked what someone needs to demonstrate to move up.

At Zatori, we’ve spent over 14 years advising employers and discussing pay with businesses and individuals. We see how differently people interpret the same information.

We also see why these decisions need to connect. What you offer a new hire can affect your existing team. The skills you need next year can influence who you recruit and develop today. A salary that secures one person may create expectations elsewhere.

That is why we approach pay transparency as part of strategic workforce planning.

Through our fractional Head of Talent Acquisition service, we work with businesses to understand the people and skills they need, plan how to attract them and build an approach that supports retention as well as recruitment.

We believe greater pay transparency can help businesses attract talent. Preparing your existing team and managers is an important part of making it work.

You don’t need to predict every detail of the legislation to start understanding and documenting what your business does today.

Our Beginner’s Guide to Say What You Pay turns preparation into manageable steps. It helps you work through five practical questions:

1️⃣ Do you have salary bands for every role?

Understand what is already in place, identify the gaps and start building a more consistent approach.

2️⃣ Is your employee benefits package written down?
Bring together what you offer, who is eligible and how people can access it.

3️⃣ Do managers understand the salary bands for their teams?
Involve them in reviewing the information and make sure they know where to find the agreed approach.

4️⃣ Do employees know how to use their benefits?
A benefits package delivers more value when people understand what is available and how to access it.

5️⃣ Are managers ready for questions about pay?
Prepare them with a clear process, appropriate training and someone to turn to when they need support.

The guide includes practical actions and a checklist to help you see where to start. It is designed to help you build useful foundations now, so you have more room to respond thoughtfully when the final requirements arrive.

It is part of our wider work at Zatori: making strategic workforce planning practical and accessible through our fractional Head of Talent Acquisition service.

Whether you are preparing for change or planning your next stage of growth, our aim is the same: to help you make better decisions about the people your business needs.

This article and the guide provide practical business preparation, not legal advice. They assume employers meet their existing obligations under employment, equality and equal pay law. Seek qualified legal advice about specific pay or discrimination concerns.

Martin has been advising businesses in talent acquisition and retention for over a decade. Discuss how you he can help you elevate your strategy, book a call or contact him at martin.wigfield@zatori-consulting.co.uk