What is the Living Wage?
The real Living Wage is the amount needed for the average person to meet everyday needs. It’s paid by around 11,000 businesses (of which we’re proud to be one), including around half of the FTSE 100 companies and many household names like Nationwide, Google, LUSH, Everton FC and Chelsea FC.
Living Wage Week takes place in November every year to increase awareness and celebrate the progress made. Over 300,000 employees have received a pay rise as a result of the campaign, which enjoys cross-party support.
But, didn’t the government introduce a National Living Wage?
Yes, they did, and they re-branded it from the “minimum wage” to the “National Living Wage”, making it easier for employers to claim they pay a living wage. However, this wage is not calculated according to what employees and their families need to live. Instead, it is based on a target to reach 66% of median earnings by 2024. The government minimum takes into account what is affordable for businesses, not what is needed by workers.
The real Living Wage rates are higher because they are independently-calculated based on what people need to get by. That’s why we pay all of our staff the real Living Wage and urge all employers to do so and ensure their employees earn a wage that meets the costs of living, not just the government minimum.
Why is the Living Wage important to us?
It’s important to us at British Recycled Plastic, for a number of reasons. Firstly, of course, we believe a fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. We refuse to be involved in (or associated with) any business models which exploit workers, perpetuating poverty-line conditions while shareholders pocket the profits. It’s simply not the right way to do business. Secondly, we believe that investing in your workforce – treating them well and renumerating them appropriately; training them and supporting their growth – reaps great rewards of loyalty and engagement which show in the service they give. Paying a real Living Wage is just one of the ways in which we show our appreciation for our staff.
Low pay
There are 4.8m workers paid less than the real Living Wage. Research published last week by the Living Wage Foundation found that over the past 6 months more workers are skipping meals and using food banks than ever before.
Katherine Chapman, Living Wage Foundation Director, said:
“We are facing unprecedented challenges with the cost-of-living crisis, but businesses continue to step up and support workers by signing up to the Living Wage in record numbers. We know that the Living Wage is good for employers as well as workers, that’s why the real Living Wage must continue to be at the heart of solutions to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.”
- 78% of workers paid below the real Living Wage – 3.7m workers nationally – say the cost-of-living crisis is the worst financial period they have ever faced.
- Over half (56%) of low-paid workers – 2.7m workers nationally – report using foodbanks over the last 12 months, with 63% of low-paid food bank users – 1.7m workers nationally – saying their use had increased in this time.
Find out more
These are worrying times, for many of us. If you’d like to know more about the campaign and/or get involved, you can find out more, here.
Want to know more about us?
Contact us on [email protected], or on 01422 419 555.
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