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Real Living Wage Celebrates 20th Birthday

Real Living Wage Celebrates 20th Birthday
25 August 2021
 

Over £1.5 billion in increased wages has been put back into the pockets of over 260,000 low-paid workers over the past 20 years, thanks to the Living Wage Foundation.

Almost three-quarters of employers paying the real Living Wage said that accrediting with the Living Wage Foundation had improved their reputation as an employer. 

The number of Living Wage Employers has continued to grow, even during the pandemic, with over 2,600 more employers committing to pay the real Living Wage since the 23d March lockdown last year.

The real Living Wage is the UK’s only independently calculated wage rate based on meeting people’s everyday needs, it is currently £9.50 an hour outside of London and £10.85 within the capital. Since its creation in East London in 2001, the Living Wage campaign has grown from a Citizens UK initiative into a movement of over 8,000 accredited employers, including major employers like IKEA, National Express, Aviva, Burberry, Everton and Liverpool football clubs, nearly half the FTSE 100 and thousands of small and medium-sized businesses.  

 

“Over the past twenty years we’ve seen hundreds of thousands of people’s lives changed by the real Living Wage. It’s allowed people to spend more time with their families, save for the future, and enjoy the stability and security necessary to thrive. We know too that the Living Wage has transformed employers across the country, and we’ve been delighted to see businesses continue to accredit at an astonishing rate during the pandemic." 

–Graham Griffiths

Director, Living Wage Foundation

 

Who Pays The Real Living Wage in Facilities Management?

 

 

Research conducted by Cardiff Business School also highlighted the benefits of the Living Wage to business. A survey of 1,530 Living Wage Employers found that 59 per cent said it improved retention of employees receiving the real living wage. 60 per cent said it improved recruitment and 30 per cent said it reduced sickness absence. 

Rukky, a Cleaner at Clean for Good, explained what it means to them:

"Being paid the Living Wage has made a big difference to my family. I can spend more time with my children now. I have also been able to save some money and I feel a lot happier now. Minimum wage wasn’t enough money to live on and it made me very stressed. I want to stay working here if I can. I feel like they respect me.” 

Graham Griffiths, Director of the Living Wage Foundation, added:  

“Over the past twenty years we’ve seen hundreds of thousands of people’s lives changed by the real Living Wage. It’s allowed people to spend more time with their families, save for the future, and enjoy the stability and security necessary to thrive. We know too that the Living Wage has transformed employers across the country, and we’ve been delighted to see businesses continue to accredit at an astonishing rate during the pandemic. As we look to recover from this crisis, it’s clear that that must rebuild on the solid foundations that the real Living Wage provides.”  

Edmund Heery, Professor Emeritus, Cardiff Business School, said: 

“A striking feature of the Living Wage campaign is that it has produced mutual gains for employees and for their employers. The Living Wage has transferred millions of pounds to the pockets of low-paid workers, with part-time employees and those working on outsourcing contracts particularly likely to benefit. But the Living Wage has also benefited many employing organizations, enhancing reputation, improving recruitment and retention and, for some, helping to win contracts or funding. The evidence shows emphatically that both parties can gain from higher employment standards.” 

Picture: a picture of a jar of coins that's fallen over

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 25 August 2021

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