United Kingdom: Information Commissioner's Office published report and draft guidance on automated decision making in recruitment

On 31 March 2026, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) published a report and draft guidance on the use of automated decision-making (ADM) in recruitment. The guidance would apply to employers that use automated tools to process job applications and make hiring decisions, including systems that score, rank, or filter candidates without direct human involvement. The draft guidance sets out the ICO's expectations for organisations using ADM in recruitment. Organisations would be required to test their automated tools regularly for bias, to inform candidates when ADM is used, and to explain how such tools function and affect the application process. Candidates would have the right to contest automated decisions and to request review by a human recruiter. Alongside the publication, the ICO engaged with more than 30 employers on their use of automation in recruitment and wrote to 16 organisations considered likely to be using ADM in hiring.