Wellworking’s Post

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority are now officially accredited as a real Living Wage Employer 🙌 Over 14% of jobs across Yorkshire and the Humber pay below the real Living Wage, with at least 314,000 workers earning less than they need to buy food, pay bills, and make ends meet in the cost of living crisis. Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “West Yorkshire is a region of grafters, and hard work should always be rewarded with fair pay and conditions. Paying at least the real Living Wage is the most sure-fire way for employers to boost their productivity, while ensuring their workers receive a wage they can actually live on. Here at the Combined Authority, we remain committed to paying the real Living Wage whilst supporting others to do the same, as we build a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire that works for all.” Katherine Chapman, Director of the Living Wage Foundation, said: “We’re delighted that the West Yorkshire Combined Authority has joined the movement of over 14,000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on. They join thousands of small businesses, as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays, Everton Football Club and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. We look forward to working with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to grow the Living Wage across the region." #LivingWage #Yorkshire #WestYorkshire #RealLivingWage https://lnkd.in/ey-Qjg7S

Love the advocacy for living wage from Newcastle City Council. I've seen first-hand the demotivating effect minimum wage can have. Even if for some its enough to get by on, the minimum wage is not a competitive wage that gets the best out of employees. A living wage is a signal to employees that you are valued as a human being by your employer. In any industry, people who feel valued will be more inclined to go the extra mile for their employer!

Celebrating Living Wage Week in the North East! 🌟 This week, Newcastle City Council Leader, Cllr Karen Kilgour joined North East Mayor Kim McGuinness and Sunderland City Council Leader Cllr Michael Mordey to celebrate new employers committed to paying the Living Wage! In Newcastle, more than 100 organisations now pay the Living Wage of £12.60 per hour, and the number is increasing all the time across the North East. Newcastle City Council has just announced it is giving more than 800 staff including school catering assistants, cleaners, and bar staff the extra 60p an hour because it was right to help those who are struggling to get by and make pay fairer. There’s a growing consensus across the North East that paying the Living Wage is not just right but also widely beneficial as research shows most of the money is spent locally making our economy stronger and reducing the need for state support. Nationally, an estimated 6.1 million people remain trapped in insecure work, unable to make ends meet, according to the Living Wage Foundation. It’s a big challenge but the campaign goes on. Let’s keep pushing for fair pay for all! 💪 #LivingWageWeek #FairPay The North East Combined Authority

Over 5,000 Southwark workers receive pay rise thanks to the London Living Wage ✨ Bosco Katabazi, cleaner at Borough Market: “I can afford to pay my bills and pay my bills on time. That’s because I work for company that pays the London Living Wage.” Carla Sofia Cardso Pinto, food services co-ordinator at Spring Community Hub: “I can now do more with my children and afford to buy a car. It has helped me in my personal life a lot.” Tash Gorst, founder of Gather: “Business is about people, so it matters how you treat yours. We've always paid the Living Wage. Our staff are the heart of Gather; they care, they’re engaged and they stick around - for much longer than is typical for retail.” Sarah Kingston and Alex Birtles, co-founders of In Good Company: “We believe paying a fair wage is the cornerstone of being a good business. It’s a principle we wholeheartedly advocate for and encourage all the businesses we support to embrace.” Dr Dima Mekdad, executive director of Candoco Dance Company: “Paying London Living Wage as a minimum in our pay structure is essential and reflects our values. The accreditation was important to us as we would like to advocate for this in the wider networks we are working with.”   Cllr Kieron Williams, leader of Southwark Council: “The message is loud and clear: the London Living Wage is good for workers, good for business, and good for our local economy. That’s why we established the council’s Living Wage Unit to support employers to pay the London Living Wage. We are proud that Southwark leads the way with more and more employers who think, like us, that people deserve to be paid fairly for their hard work. It's more important than ever with the rising cost of living.” The number of #Southwark employers who pay the #LondonLivingWage grows month on month. In large part this is thanks to a group of local organisations who campaign to make Southwark a #LivingWagePlace If you are an employer interested in accreditation please contact SouthwarkBusinessDesk@southwark.gov.uk. You can also apply to a grant which cover three years accreditation fees. Living Wage Foundation

We're delighted to announce that we have been accredited as a Living Wage Scotland employer. The Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at McGowan Environmental Ltd. receive at least the minimum hourly wage of £12 per hour, delivering a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work. The Living Wage rate is higher than the government minimum for over 21s, which currently stands at £11.44 per hour, and is calculated according to the costs of living. Speaking about McGowan Group's decision to become a Living Wage employer, Peter Kelly, Director of The Poverty Alliance said: “We all need an income that is enough to cover our needs and protect us from poverty, and it’s only right that employers pay a wage that reflects the cost of living. Too many workers in Scotland are paid less than the real Living Wage and, at a time of rising costs, are struggling to stay afloat. The real Living Wage can offer protection from those rising costs. “Congratulations to McGowan Group on their Living Wage commitment, and I hope more organisations follow their lead by becoming Living Wage accredited.” Gail Irvine, Manager at Living Wage Scotland said: “We’re delighted that McGowan Group has become an accredited Living Wage employer. They join a growing movement of nearly 3500 employers in Scotland who together want to ensure workers have what they need to thrive." The Living Wage accreditation extends to all group companies, including McGowan Environmental, McGowan Infrastructure and Eco Cable Protect UK.

Why does the Real Living Wage matter so much now that the National 'Living Wage' is so similar? Just to clarify before I go on; the Real Living Wage for Greater Manchester is set at £12.60 and the National 'Living Wage' has gone up to £12.21 for ages 21 and over and £10 for ages 18 to 20. As we mark Living Wage Week, it’s important to consider the true impact of wages on families and communities. For too many, the absence of a real Living Wage means living month to month, struggling to cover basic expenses like rent, food, and utilities. The recent Budget announcement brought the National Minimum Wage closer to the Real Living Wage, a positive step—but there’s still a gap. Young workers aged 18-20 face the same living costs as everyone else. Rent doesn’t decrease based on age, and the cost of groceries doesn’t adjust based on experience. The value of their work is real and deserves fair compensation. Research shows that paying a real Living Wage generates wealth across entire communities. When workers are paid fairly, they can support local businesses, invest in education, and contribute to a stronger, more resilient local economy. Yet here in Greater Manchester, over 25% of children live in poverty, and in many cases, both parents are employed but remain below the poverty line. Becoming a Living Wage employer isn’t just about paying fairly—it’s about being part of a larger mission to build communities where work lifts people out of poverty, not traps them within it. We’re now at 816 Living Wage employers in Greater Manchester; let’s work together to reach 1,000 and create a city where everyone’s hard work is truly valued. P.s. it was a pleasure to meet Andy Burnham and to hear him speak about the Living Wage campaign across Greater Manchester. If anyone wants to sign up to become a Living Wage Employer I am more than happy to give any advice I have! #LivingwageweekGM

We're delighted to announce that we have been accredited as a Living Wage Scotland employer. The Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at Eco Cable Protect UK receive at least the minimum hourly wage of £12 per hour, delivering a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work. The Living Wage rate is higher than the government minimum for over 21s, which currently stands at £11.44 per hour, and is calculated according to the costs of living. Speaking about McGowan Group's decision to become a Living Wage employer, Peter Kelly, Director of The Poverty Alliance said: “We all need an income that is enough to cover our needs and protect us from poverty, and it’s only right that employers pay a wage that reflects the cost of living. Too many workers in Scotland are paid less than the real Living Wage and, at a time of rising costs, are struggling to stay afloat. The real Living Wage can offer protection from those rising costs. “Congratulations to McGowan Group on their Living Wage commitment, and I hope more organisations follow their lead by becoming Living Wage accredited.” Gail Irvine, Manager at Living Wage Scotland said: “We’re delighted that McGowan Group has become an accredited Living Wage employer. They join a growing movement of nearly 3500 employers in Scotland who together want to ensure workers have what they need to thrive." The Living Wage accreditation extends to all group companies, including McGowan Environmental Ltd. and McGowan Infrastructure.

💰The Living Wage Foundation has announced new rates that will positively impact workers across the UK: £12.60 per hour nationwide £13.85 per hour in London This increase is set to benefit nearly 500,000 workers, providing thousands more for full-time employees compared to the Government’s minimum wage. As living costs continue to rise, the importance of this adjustment cannot be overstated. 📈 The real Living Wage is the only independently calculated wage rate in the UK, based solely on the actual cost of living. Over 15,000 accredited Living Wage Employers have committed to these new rates, collectively securing nearly £3.5 billion in additional wages for low-paid workers since 2011. 💼 While these updates are a step in the right direction, they raise important questions for companies that can afford to pay the Living Wage but choose to offer only the minimum wage or slightly more. What are the reasons behind this? 🤔 Additionally, there appears to be a concerning trend where many part-time opportunities undervalue the skills and experience required, offering pay that doesn’t reflect the qualifications needed. We’re curious to hear from others: Have you experienced similar challenges in finding part-time roles that match your expertise? Are there individuals who feel overqualified for the positions available? Let’s start a conversation about how we can advocate for fair pay and better opportunities! 💬 #LivingWage #FairPay #PartTimeWork #WomenInWork

We're delighted to announce that we have been accredited as a Living Wage Scotland employer. The Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at McGowan Infrastructure receive at least the minimum hourly wage of £12 per hour, delivering a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work. The Living Wage rate is higher than the government minimum for over 21s, which currently stands at £11.44 per hour, and is calculated according to the costs of living. Speaking about McGowan Group's decision to become a Living Wage employer, Peter Kelly, Director of The Poverty Alliance said: “We all need an income that is enough to cover our needs and protect us from poverty, and it’s only right that employers pay a wage that reflects the cost of living. Too many workers in Scotland are paid less than the real Living Wage and, at a time of rising costs, are struggling to stay afloat. The real Living Wage can offer protection from those rising costs. “Congratulations to McGowan Group on their Living Wage commitment, and I hope more organisations follow their lead by becoming Living Wage accredited.” Gail Irvine, Manager at Living Wage Scotland said: “We’re delighted that McGowan Group has become an accredited Living Wage employer. They join a growing movement of nearly 3500 employers in Scotland who together want to ensure workers have what they need to thrive." The Living Wage accreditation extends to all group companies, including McGowan Infrastructure, McGowan Environmental Ltd. and Eco Cable Protect UK.

Living Wage Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 There are many business benefits to paying people at least enough to live on, but many employers are recognising that going beyond the real Living Wage can make a substantial difference to the lives of workers and their families. From Living Hours to celebrating key moments with your team, there are lots of ways that employers can show their people how much they are valued. Jewish Care Scotland are proud to be part of the collective effort to ensure everyone gets paid fairly. Together Living Wage Scotland employers have delivered a pay rise to over 64,000 workers and put over £485 million into the pockets of low paid workers! #LivingWage #PromotingWellbeing