At least 150,000 workers in the UK are set to get a pay rise thanks to an increase in the new living wage rates.
The Living Wage Foundation, which works with the 3,679 employers who pay the independently-calculated rates to their staff, announced that the pay rate has increased by 30p from £8.45 to £8.75 an hour around the UK. In London, the living wage has risen by 45p from £9.75 to £10.20 an hour.
IKEA, Aviva and Google are among the employers who pay the living wage to ensure all staff earn a salary that "meets the real cost of living".
The foundation said the 2017 increase has been driven by inflation, as well as an increase in rent and transport costs.
"The new living wage rates announced today will bring relief for thousands of UK workers being squeezed by stagnant wages and rising inflation," Living Wage Foundation Director, Katherine Chapman, said. "It's thanks to the leadership of over 3,600 employers across the UK who are committed to paying all their staff, including cleaners and security staff, a real living wage."
According to recent figures, 5.5 million people are still paid less than the real living wage. However, more than 1,000 employers have signed up to the measure since last year, "putting fairness and respect at the heart of their business," Chapman added.
Heathrow Airport is one of the latest companies to announce their commitment to paying the wage. The move means 3,200 airport workers will receive the new pay rate by the end of 2020. Earlier this year, Lush Cosmetics announced it will pay the voluntary rate to all permanent staff in its manufacturing business, which means a pay increase for 3,555 Lush workers across the UK.
You can't say fairer than that.
Find a full list of all the companies who have promised to pay the Living Wage Foundation rates of pay here.
