Praise those who pay the real living wage | Letters
Letter from Katherine Chapman, director of the Living Wage FoundationRecent announcements from across the political spectrum have raised the issue of living wages and statutory minimum wages. With inflation rising and wages not keeping pace, no doubt the debate around what level statutory wages should sit at will continue in the weeks, months and years to come. In the meantime, we should champion businesses that go beyond what's legally required of them in supporting those at the lowest end of the pay scale by rewarding them fairly. Amid the predictions and pledges on what a minimum wage could look like in 2020 or 2022, there's a growing movement of over 3,000 responsible employers who aren't waiting for government to instruct them. Instead, today they are all voluntarily paying their employees, including subcontracted staff, at least the real living wage - currently 8.45 an hour across the UK and 9.75 in London, reflecting the increased living costs of the capital.
Academics, business leaders and civil society representatives oversee the calculation process to ensure the wage rate is robust and fair. We don't predict; instead, we make sound calculations.
Katherine Chapman
Director, Living Wage Foundation