Chelsea Football Club has become the first Premier League team to sign up to pay the living wage.
Chelsea will pay all directly-employed members of staff the living wage, currently £9.15 in London or £7.85 elsewhere in the UK, who work at the club’s football ground Stamford Bridge, its training ground and all other areas where the club operates from January 2015.
The club has also ensured that any employees working for external contractors and not currently being paid the living wage will receive the same rates. This process will be completed by July 2017.
Chelsea joins fellow football clubs Heart of Midlothian in Scotland and Luton Town of League Two as employers committed to paying the living wage.
More than 1,000 organisations are now accredited living wage employers.
Bruce Buck, chairman of Chelsea Football Club, said: “As a responsible employer we are proud of this significant achievement for the club.
“We believe the move to the living wage underlines out commitment to ensuring that all employees receive a fair rate of pay for their hard work and dedication.
“Quite simply, it is the right thing to do.”
Mayor of London Boris Johnson added: “By becoming the first professional sports team [from the Premier League] to commit to pay the London living wage, Chelsea are setting the right example.
“By putting more pounds in the pockets of their staff, they are signing up to a win-win scenario that rewards a hard day’s work with a fair day’s pay for everyone.”
Supporter-owned FC United of Manchester were the first football club in Britain to be an accredited living wage employer in October. FC United play in the Evo-Stik League Northern Premier League