On Monday 30 June 2014, the Living Wage Foundation formally handed over plaques to the Houses of Parliament identifying they have been accredited as Living Wage employers.
The Commons and the Lords have pledged to ensure that the London Living Wage is paid not just to staff employed by Parliament, but also to staff of contractors providing services to Parliament.
The Rt Hon John Bercow MP, the Speaker of the House of Commons commented:
'I am thrilled to receive this accreditation on behalf of the House of Commons, which has already resulted in all of our staff and contractors being paid at least £8.80 per hour. It is my hope that Parliament will be an exemplar of excellent employment practice and that where the House of Commons leads others will follow.'
The Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually. It is currently fixed at £8.80 for those living in London, and is calculated according to the basic cost of living using the 'Minimum Income Standard' for the UK.
Baroness D'Souza, Lord Speaker, said:
"I'm delighted the House of Lords is one of the growing number who have taken the step of becoming Living Wage employers. The Houses of Parliament are iconic institutions which have at their core the aim of improving the lives of the UK's citizens. One way of making a direct improvement, much closer to home, is by recognising the hard work and dedication of our staff, and signing up to the Living Wage promise."
Living Wage Foundation Director, Rhys Moore said:
"We are delighted that the Houses of Parliament have joined the Living Wage movement as accredited employers. The accreditation of such a symbolic employer demonstrates that the Living Wage is a well-regarded concept that combines business benefits with a moral obligation to reward a hard day's work with a fair day's pay.
Becoming an accredited employer ensures that your directly employed staff benefit, but additionally those members of the team who are sub-contracted also receive the Living Wage. The Living Wage Foundation believes that work should be the surest way out of poverty, and the leadership the Houses of Parliament have shown will, we hope, encourage others to consider how they support low-paid employees."
Picture: Mike Kelly and Sarah Vero from the Living Wage Foundation, with the Speakers of both Houses and the Clerks of both Houses, on New Palace Yard.