Published: 11 November 2022
From: Business and economy
The cost of living crisis means that it’s more important than ever that employers pay the Living Wage, says Crawley Borough Council.
The council is marking Living Wage Week by highlighting the importance of paying staff at least the national Living Wage of £10.90 per hour, an independently calculated rate of pay based on the real cost of living which applies to all workers over the age of 18.
The council has paid its employees the Living Wage since 2014. More than 130 local authorities across the UK are signed up to the scheme but the council is the only local authority in West Sussex to do so.
More than 11,500 UK organisations pay the Living Wage, including Crawley employers B&CE, Barclays Bank, Crawley Community Youth Service, Creative Pod, Delta Security Management, EQ, GIND, Grace Ayre, Greenstar Cleaners, LCG, Leacroft Medical Practice, Lloyds Bank, Lush, Nationwide, Nestle, Onsite Support, Santander and Williams and Co.
According to the Living Wage Foundation:
- 93 per cent of businesses say that becoming Living Wage accredited has benefitted their business
- 86 per cent say it has increased their reputation
- 75 per cent have reported an increase in staff motivation and retention rates
- 64 per cent say it has helped them differentiate themselves from others in their industry
We’re proud to be a Living Wage employer and that we were one of the first local authorities to join the scheme. The Living Wage makes a difference to employees who receive it and to employers who pay it, through enhanced reputation and happier staff. I encourage more Crawley businesses to make the move to becoming accredited.
Councillor Atif Nawaz
Cabinet member for Planning and Economic Development
Crawley Borough Council
Living Wage Week runs from 14 to 20 November. For more information, visit the Living Wage website.
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