UK watchdog proposes legal right to request colleagues' salaries to fight pay discrimination

What the EHRC proposes

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has called for new legislation that would give employees the legal right to request salary information about their colleagues. According to the EHRC, employers would be required to provide details such as basic pay, hours worked, bonuses, overtime, shift premiums, and performance-related pay within a specific timeframe. This move aims to address pay discrimination, particularly against women and other groups facing systemic inequalities.

Currently, UK employers are not obligated to respond to employee requests for salary information. The EHRC’s proposal would change this by making such disclosures compulsory, arguing that transparency is key to reducing pay gaps.

Ban on salary history questions

The EHRC also recommends banning employers from asking job applicants about their current salary during the hiring process. The proposal aims to prevent the perpetuation of historical pay discrimination, which can follow individuals across their careers.

At present, UK employers are permitted to ask about current salary, though applicants are not obligated to disclose it. The watchdog argues that basing job offers on an applicant’s salary history, rather than their skills and experience, can reinforce existing pay disparities.

Support and implications

The Fawcett Society, a UK-based charity focused on gender equality, has backed the EHRC’s recommendations. The organization warns that without measures like these, pay inequality linked to gender, race, and disability will persist.

Greater salary transparency could also extend to job advertisements, with the EHRC suggesting that employers publish salary details upfront. This would shift negotiations toward skills and experience rather than an applicant’s perceived worth or negotiating ability.

What this means

Lazyfounder analysis — our interpretation, not reported fact.

The EHRC’s proposals, if adopted, would mark a significant shift in UK employment law, particularly for startups and businesses that have not yet formalized pay transparency policies. For founders and operators, this could mean revisiting hiring practices to remove salary history questions and preparing for potential obligations to disclose pay data internally. The changes align with broader trends toward workplace equity, but they also introduce compliance risks—especially for smaller companies with limited HR resources.

While the proposals are not yet law, they signal growing regulatory pressure on employers to address pay discrimination. Companies that proactively adopt salary transparency may gain a competitive edge in attracting talent, particularly among groups disproportionately affected by pay gaps. However, the administrative burden of responding to pay disclosure requests could pose challenges, particularly for fast-growing startups.

Key takeaways

• UK-based startups and businesses must prepare for potential new obligations to disclose pay data if the proposals become law, which could increase administrative costs and require HR policy updates.
• Founders hiring in the UK may need to remove questions about current salary from job applications, shifting focus to skills and experience.
• Greater salary transparency could pressure companies to address pay disparities, particularly for women and underrepresented groups, affecting compensation strategies.

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