Salary not on job advert - when do you bring it up?

[MitchT]

It seems to be de rigueur these days for companies to place job adverts but not to include a salary. Problem is, in my line of work I've seen jobs paying as little as £18k and as much as £55k. I don't want to waste my time going too far through the process for a role paying in the lower half of that range as I wouldn't want the job if I was offered it, but I don't know how soon is acceptable to seek clarification on the subject of remuneration. When do you bring it up?

[MitchT]

edc said:

They will then probably ask for your expectation or last salary.

I do hope they don't play the 'last salary' game. My current employer is very tight (OH worked in the same place and took a 65% increase when she moved to the same job elsewhere, just to be on what's considered the 'going rate') so I'm not interested in anyone who wants to lowball me just because my current employer is tight.