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Over 12,000 UK employers are now accredited with the Living Wage Foundation, over half (7,000) of whom have signed up since the start of the pandemic
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Research shows the Living Wage movement has put more than £2 billion extra into the pockets of over 450,000 low paid workers since it began in 2011
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1 in 9 UK workers now works for a Living Wage Employers
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Despite these successes, millions are struggling with rising prices, including the 3.5 million still paid below the real Living Wage.
The Living Wage Foundation has announced that there are now over 12,000 accredited Living Wage Employers.
Living Wage Employers commit to paying the independently calculated Living Wage rates (currently £10.90 in the UK and £11.95 in London) to all directly employed staff as well as third-party staff like cleaners, security guards and caterers.
The vital cost-of-living pay boost comes as record price rises have pushed millions of workers into financial hardship. Research from the Living Wage Foundation has found there are 3.5 million jobs paying below the real Living Wage in the UK, with the total projected to rocket to over 5 million over the next year.
Despite challenging economic conditions, a record of nearly 7,000 employers have signed up to pay the real Living Wage since the start of the pandemic in 2020, with 3,000 joining in the past year.
Living Wage employers range from household names like Burberry, Aviva, Everton FC and IKEA to thousands of small-to-medium employers like Rosslyn Coffee, Sparkles Cleaning and Anchor Removals.
The Living Wage is significantly higher than the government minimum wage for those over 25s (National Living Wage), which currently stands at £9.50 per hour. It is the only rate calculated based on the true cost of living.
Since 2011, the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 450,000 people and put over £2 billion extra into the pockets of low paid workers.
Katherine Chapman, Living Wage Foundation Director, said: “We are delighted to have reached 12,000 accredited Living Wage Employers across the UK who are committed to making sure that everyone who works for them, including contracted staff like cleaners and security guards, earn a wage that meets the cost of living. Since it began over 20 years ago, the Living Wage movement has delivered pay rises to over 450,000 people and put more than £2 billion back in the pockets of low paid workers. One in nine employees now work for an accredited Living Wage Employer.”