The government consulted on equal pay and pay discrimination, including whether pay must be published in every job advert or given in writing before interview, and a duty to take reasonable steps for pay equality in outsourcing chains. The consultation closed at 5pm on 27 October 2026 and BIOR responded. We support pay in adverts and asked for the duty to sit with the employer that sets the pay, with the agency bound to publish what it is given and not to advertise a role without it, and for the reasonable steps asked of an intermediary to be ones it can take and show, as the Agency Workers Regulations already work. The government is now considering the responses. If you run an agency, you can still ask your MP to put the two points to the Minister with the letter below. The consultation page is at gov.uk.
The letter to your MP
Dear [MP name],
I run a recruitment business in your constituency. The government has consulted on equal pay and pay discrimination, including a requirement to publish pay in job adverts. The consultation closed on 27 October 2026 and the responses are now being considered.
I support pay in adverts. Candidates decide better with it and an honest agency has nothing to lose from it. I am asking you to put two points to the Minister.
First, when an agency advertises for a client, the pay is set by the client. The duty should fall on the employer to give the pay information to whoever advertises on its behalf, with the agency bound to publish what it is given and not to advertise a role for which the employer has refused to provide it. That puts the duty with the party that holds the information and gives the agency a clear obligation of its own.
Second, where the consultation asks intermediaries in an outsourcing chain to take reasonable steps for pay equality, those steps should be ones a business can take and show, as the Agency Workers Regulations already work. An agency that asked the client for the pay information in writing, kept the answer and paid accordingly should not carry liability for a pay decision it did not make and could not see.
The British Institute of Recruiters, my professional body, has submitted a full response on these lines. I would be grateful if you would raise them with the Minister.
Yours sincerely,
[Your name]
[Business name and address]