Four in 10 (41 per cent) UK jobseekers say they would refuse to apply for a job without salary information, up from 38 per cent in 2025. However, analysis of job adverts by CV-Library over the past 12 months found that 58 per cent included salary details, leaving 42 per cent without upfront pay information.
The findings from CV-Library’s Candidate Behaviour Barometer 2026, highlight the risk for employers competing for talent – candidates are becoming less willing to invest time in applications when they cannot establish whether a role meets their salary expectations. The research surveyed 1,043 candidates and 233 recruiters and direct employers, revealing a clear disconnect between candidate expectations and recruitment practices.
Salary is the clearest priority for candidates when assessing a job advert, with 66 per cent selecting it as the single most important aspect of an advert. A further 58 per cent say salary information is essential when deciding whether to apply, with a further 37 per cent saying it is preferred. In comparison, four in five recruiters (80 per cent) identify a competitive salary as one of candidates’ top three priorities on a job listing.
For employers that don’t disclose salary, the reasons are largely practical. Salary varying according to experience is the most common reason, cited by 27 per cent of recruiters, while 16 per cent say they want to attract a wider pool of candidates who might otherwise rule themselves out based on salary.
A further 13 per cent say budgets have not been finalised when a role is advertised, while 9.3 per cent of recruiters say they rarely or never disclose salary information on their job adverts.
“There’s a clear disconnect between what employers know candidates want and what they put in front of them,” said Katie Emerton, recruitment expert of CV-Library. “Recruiters tell us salary is one of the biggest priorities for jobseekers, yet a significant proportion of adverts continue to leave candidates guessing – and four in 10 say they’ll walk away where it’s not provided.
“Employers risk losing candidates before they’ve even had a chance to explain what they can offer,” notes Emerton. “Recruiters recognise that salary is one of the biggest priorities for jobseekers, yet many adverts still leave people guessing.
“Pay can vary with experience, but with legislation on the horizon, the smartest move for employers is to get ahead of it now. A banded salary range which can be scaled by experience gives candidates the clarity they’re asking for and gives employers some flexibility to decide on the right salary,” she concludes.
