Salary history redaction is the removal of prior-earnings data from a recruitment file. The Equality Act 2010 and ACAS guidance warn that anchoring an offer to past pay can perpetuate an unequal, gendered pay history. anonym.plus marks wage figures and the names tied to them on your device, so the file holds no such anchor.
When this applies
A CV or form may volunteer past salaries the offer should not be anchored to. You strip those figures so prior earnings cannot shape a new package.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the file in anonym.plus on your device.
- Built-in OCR reads a scanned payslip or letter.
- The app marks wage figures and earnings fields.
- Confirm each marking and keep the role and skills.
- Black out the confirmed earnings data.
- Save the cleaned file locally.
What you need to provide
- The file (PDF, DOCX, scan, or TXT).
- An operator (Redact suits wage figures).
- Optional allow-list for the desired-salary field.
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Money | MONEY | 2023 salary £38,000 → [PAY] |
| Names | PERSON | applicant Cole → [APPLICANT] |
| Org | ORGANIZATION | prior employer → [EMPLOYER] |
| Financial | UK_BANK_NUMBER | payroll acct → [ACCOUNT] |
| Contact | EMAIL_ADDRESS | cole@example.co.uk → [EMAIL] |
| Location | LOCATION | prior town → [LOCATION] |
Compliance achieved
- Reflects equal-pay aims of the Equality Act 2010 and ACAS guidance.
- Keeps the role and skills while hiding a prior-pay anchor.
- Offline work keeps wage figures off any server.
Anonymise files with salary history offline — see plans & start free →
Limitations & cautions
There is no outright UK ban on asking about salary history, but ACAS and equal-pay risk discourage it. The app removes earnings data; it does not give pay-policy advice. Set offers against the role and market with HR.
Frequently asked questions
Is asking about salary history banned in the UK?
No outright ban exists, but ACAS guidance and equal-pay risk under the Equality Act 2010 discourage it. Stripping the figure removes the anchor.
Can I keep a desired-pay field?
Yes. Allow-list expectations, which look forward, and remove past figures that can carry an unequal history.
Is the file uploaded?
No. The app runs locally, so wage data stays on your device.