Nov
03
2016
Living Wage Week 2016
It’s #LivingWageWeek 2016! We’re proud to say that the Centre is one of almost 3000 businesses in the UK that have voluntarily chosen to close the pay gap between what people need to live and the government minimum that every employer has to pay. For full time workers, the gap between the government minimum wage and the real Living Wage is about £40 a week across the UK, and £80 a week in London.
What is the Living Wage?
The campaign for a Living Wage is an independent movement of businesses, organisations and people who believe a fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. They campaign to ensure that everyone can earn a real Living Wage that meets the cost of living, not just the government minimum. The current government minimum wage is £7.20 for those over 25, £6.95 for those between 21-24 and £5.55 for those under 21. The Living Wage on the other hand doesn’t apply age brackets, and is £8.45 per hour across the UK and £9.75 in London.
For people who are paid the real Living Wage, it means the difference between being able to afford the things you need to live, like healthy meals and a warm home, without having to make other sacrifices. By paying the real Living Wage, employers are voluntarily taking a stand to make sure that employees can earn a wage which is enough to live on. That basic fairness is at the heart of what the campaign is trying to achieve and why great businesses and organisations choose to go further than the government minimum.
Why we’re a Living Wage Employer
Sally Pearman, Director of Learning and Development at the Centre talks about why we are passionate about being a Living Wage employer. Not only does a fair wage benefit staff in our organisation, it makes great business sense too.
“There are a number of benefits to being a Living Wage employer, these include performance, retention and engagement. We’re a values driven organisation and we really care about our staff, so we do lots of training and nice treats, but nothing tells staff that you care about them more than providing a fair wage.”
-Sally Pearman, Director of Learning and Development at the Centre
Find out more about the Living Wage Foundation.
Sally Pearman is the Centre's Director of Learning and Development and has been with us for eight years. Sally oversees all of our management development programmes and consultancy projects.
