TL;DR Wide salary ranges are not transparency. They are the company's lowball runway. Most candidates land in the bottom third of any band wider than £20k. Here is the leverage framework and the exact UK script that moves the offer. Why employers widened ranges Salary transparency laws require companies to publish the range they would pay. They cannot legally publish £40k and pay £55k. They can legally publish £40k-£80k and pay anywhere within. So they publish wider. The four sources of leverage A competing offer (in writing, not hypothetical). Strongest source. Even one moves 8-15% within the same band. Specialised skill or domain match. If the JD lists 8 must-haves and you have all 8 plus 2 nice-to-haves, you have leverage. Time pressure on the role. "How long has this role been open?" is a legitimate question; the answer is information. Walk-away credibility. Visible willingness to decline is the most underrated source. The script that moves the offer Thank you for the offer.…