Living wage increases to £7.85

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The UK living wage has increased to £7.85 an hour and the London living wage has increased to £9.15 an hour.

The voluntary wage, which increased by 20p and is set by the Living Wage Foundation, is now 21% higher than the compulsory national minimum wage, which is currently £6.50 an hour.

London Mayor Boris Johnson also announced the London rate will increase by 35p, a rise from £8.80.

Organisations, such as Nestle, Nationwide and CTS cleaning are among employers committed to paying the living wage.

More than 1,000 accredited employers will celebrate their commitment to the living wage throughout Living Wage Week, between 2 and 8 November.

In support of Living Wage Week, Nationwide will be displaying the Living Wage logo at more than 250 branches and on its homepage of its online banking service.

Johnson said: “It is extremely encouraging to see employers both large and small recognising the benefits of fair remuneration.

“It is a win-win scenario for the workforce and employers alike. Importantly, this isn’t just about economic dividends, but the immeasurable improvement to quality of life and workplace morale.

“In excess of 400 businesses have made the commitment, but we need even more converts, particularly in the retail and hospitality sectors. I hope that even more organisations this year will decide to do the right thing.”

Rhys Moore, director of the Living Wage Foundation, added: “The good news is that the number of accredited living wage employers has more than doubled this year, over 1,000 employers across the UK have signed up.

“In the last 12 months the number of living wage employers in the FSTE 100 has also risen from four to 18 including Canary Wharf Group and Standard Life.

“Those businesses that can, should follow the example of Nestle and Nationwide, as well as hundreds of smaller, independent businesses like Kaffeine, London’s first accredited coffee shop, and CTS Cleaning, the capital’s first living wage cleaning company.

“These employers recognise that clinging to the minimum wage isn’t good for business or the communities in which they work. The living wage reflects the real cost of living, rewarding a hard day’s work with a fair day’s pay.”