8th November 2024

This week is Living Wage Week which aims to help workers on low wages get paid a real living wage – that is one they can afford to live on.

We’re proud to be counted among the employers across the UK that are accredited to the scheme. There are already more than 15,000 of us and that number is growing.

The scheme works in several different ways.

Most obviously, it helps ensure those on low wages are paid at an hourly rate they really can afford to live on. It is independently calculated and is higher than the government-set legal minimum which is based on statistical target, rather than actual living costs.

But a survey by the organisers of the scheme – the Living Wage Foundation – also revealed:

• 94% of accredited employers say they have benefitted from the scheme
• 87% say it has improved their reputation
• 66% say it has helped differentiate them from competitors
• 62% say it has helped recruitment

Further research shows 90% of consumers are more likely to buy from accredited businesses and 85% of investors say looking after employees is an important factor in their decision-making.

Putting all this together paints a compelling picture for businesses considering joining the scheme.

When it comes to tendering for contracts, many organisations will score you on your social responsibility and further down the supply chain, our suppliers may see it as important in doing business with us.

And so that number of accredited employers – more than 15,000 at the time of writing – may continue to grow.