Your Housing Group and Martin Arnold now living wage employers

Pay-Thinkstock-2014

Your Housing Group, Hegarty Solicitors and Martin Arnold Chartered Surveyors are among the latest employers to become accredited living wage employers

The accreditation is a formal agreement by the organisations to pay employees at least £7.85 an hour, or £9.15 in London, higher than the current minimum wage of £6.50 an hour.

The Living Wage Foundation has also accredited other employers in February, with support services provider Regent Samsic becoming one of the first in its sector.

Worcester Cathedral and ethical jeweler Ingle and Rhode also join more than 1,000 organisations that are now accredited living wage employers, including HSBC, Nestlé and Chelsea Football Club.

The latest swath of employers comes as prime minister David Cameron urged organisations to give staff a pay rise, while Labour leader Ed Miliband also pledged to give tax breaks to employers that pay the living wage if Labour wins the General Election in May.

Wendy Doherty, group director people and communications at Your Housing Group, said: “We are committed to our employees’ financial wellbeing and therefore are delighted to be a living wage employer.

“We employ 1,400 people and many of these work in the care and supported housing sectors, which are often among the lowest paid.

“By paying above the national minimum wage, we are not only transforming the lives of our employees but we are making sure they feel valued for the exceptional services they provide to our customers.”

Jim Martin, senior partner at Martin Arnold, added: “It was suggested to us by Denise Hyland at Greenwich Council who is keen to get firms in the borough registered with the Living Wage Foundation.

“We looked at it and had no problem with complying and rolled it out to all employees, including apprentices. There are a number of employers that could do this but it needs to be communicated correctly because there are a huge number of them, like us, that are safely within the living wage guidelines.

“There is a need to move away from the perception of a low-pay economy and the London living wage can do that. We have told all employees about this initiative and as an organisation we are happy to be on board and promoting it.”