Nearly a Third of Job Seekers Avoid Job Ads With No Salary Banding

• 31.8% of UK job seekers are put off applying for jobs with no salary banding shown.
• 81% of UK job seekers see salary banding on a job advert as a sign of a fair and progressive employer.

The government is nearing the end of a consultation on making salary information mandatory in job adverts. Now, the UK’s leading recruiter Gi Group has shared data from its latest survey. In fact, it shows that nearly a third of job seekers are put off applying for roles which don’t advertise salary banding.

Gi Group surveyed 2,844 job seekers looking for work in the UK. Of these, 31.8% said a job advert with no salary banding would actively put them off applying. Job seekers were also asked if a clearly stated salary is a sign of a fair and progressive employer. In response, 81% said yes.

The new data is part of Gi Group’s ‘always on’ State of the Nation report. The report offers a regular temperature check on the opinions of UK job seekers. It also covers a range of sectors and ages.

Why salary banding alone is not enough

Gi Group serves both candidates and employers. For this reason, Andy Carpenter, Managing Director at Gi Group, said the role of the recruiter has never been more important. This is especially true if the government’s proposals to make salary banding mandatory come into force.

“Salary transparency across the recruitment sector has been on the decline over the last decade, causing negative sentiment to build for candidates. As a recruiter, we see both sides of the fence.

“From a candidate’s point of view, they want to ensure they are being paid not only fairly but competitively. For an employer, they want the best value for money. Sometimes, being completely transparent with salary banding can cost businesses more. In our experience, publishing salary banding alone doesn’t really serve anyone.

“We welcome the government’s review into a more transparent recruitment ecosystem. However, what we think would be more helpful to both the employer and candidate is better transparency around the employment package as a whole. That means benefits too, rather than a sole focus on salary.”

How many job ads show salary banding today?

The CIPD is an industry body for human resources managers. Its research found that public bodies and charities are more likely to publish salary banding in job adverts than the private sector. Findings from Adzuna also back this up. In fact, almost 6 in 10 jobs advertised in the UK right now won’t tell you what they pay.

The recruiter’s role in salary transparency

Andy added: “There is currently no mandate in the UK which forces employers to include pay transparency in job adverts. However, we do see employers commonly publishing pay ranges rather than specific salaries.

“In 2026, the role of the recruiter is still very much that crucial link which connects candidates to employers.

“The negotiation skills recruiters specialise in are a fine art. They cannot be underestimated when it comes to agreeing salary, contracts and start dates. In many ways, we are the backbone of the UK labour market. We also support consistency and stability across many sectors of commerce and industry.

“So, we think salary transparency should be part of a broader conversation around the whole employment package. This could include healthcare, various memberships, extra time off for long service and other benefits. As a result, recruiters can continue to be this ‘gel’ that keeps the economy moving and growing.”

Preparing for a pay conversation yourself? Read our guide to salary negotiation in the UK, or browse our current vacancies.

About the data

Gi Group’s ‘always on’ State of the Nation data regularly checks the opinions of UK job seekers. It also covers a range of sectors and ages. In this survey, 2,844 applicants answered questions about salary banding in recruitment.

‘Would a job advert with no salary banding put you off applying?’

No: 1,064 (37.4%)
Yes: 905 (31.8%)
Not sure: 875 (30.8%)

‘Do you think job ads with salary clearly included are a sign of a fair and progressive employer?’

Yes: 2,324 (81%)
No: 125 (4.4%)
Not sure: 395 (13.9%)