The job interview question you do not have to answer

Preparing thoroughly for a job interview is standard practice, yet one persistent question continues to cause discomfort for many candidates. While employers in the UK operate within their legal rights when asking applicants about their current salary, individuals attending interviews are under no obligation whatsoever to provide an answer.

Across international jurisdictions, new rules are rolling out within the European Union to officially ban employers from inquiring about an applicant's salary history. Meanwhile, Cabinet Office plans in the UK have not adopted a similar prohibition, focusing instead on encouraging employers to publish transparent salary information directly inside job advertisements.

Louise Rudd, a senior adviser at the workplace advice and conciliation service Acas, notes that no current regulations prevent employers from asking interviewees about their existing salary or future earnings expectations. She explains that employers wishing to gather this data should ask identical questions to every applicant to guarantee fair treatment across the board.

"Candidates can focus on showcasing the value they bring, the benefits that matter most to them and to go to the interview knowing the market rate for the role."

Shazia Ejaz, Recruitment and Employment Confederation

A campaign carrying the hashtag #EndSalaryHistory was launched several years ago to urge companies to stop questioning new hires regarding their previous compensation. The Fawcett Society, a prominent campaigner for women and gender equality, argued that asking about past pay risks sustaining historic, unfair pay disparities driven by inequalities tied to gender, race, and disability.