Burberry, Lush commit to pay ‘real’ Living Wage

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Nov 12, 2019

The ‘real’ Living Wage has been increased by 30p per hour to an hourly rate of £9.30 across the UK and £10.75 in London to reflect the growing cost of living in UK cities.

Nearly 6,000 employers, including Burberry and Lush, have committed to paying the ‘real’ Living Wage, which is over £1 per hour more than the government minimum.

Whilst the government’s National Living Wage is £8.21 per hour for over 25s, the Living Wage Foundation says the ‘real’ rates are higher because they are independently calculated based on what people need to get by.

A full-time worker paid the £9.30 real Living Wage will receive more than £2,000 in additional wages compared to current government minimum.
 
Major companies including London City Airport, Newcastle University, Aviva, Nationwide and Heathrow Airport have supported the increase to the ‘real’ Living Wage.

Pam Batty, VP of corporate responsibility at Burberry said: “At Burberry, we believe everyone has the right to fulfilling and productive employment where they are fairly rewarded. As a leader in the Living Wage movement in the UK, we are calling on all companies to join the pledge, as we know it will meaningfully improve the lives of their people, who are their most valuable asset.” 

Compared to the National Living Wage, which is legally binding for workers aged 25 and over, the Living Wage Foundation’s rates are voluntarily paid by UK businesses. The calculation is reviewed every year, and includes a separate rate for London, where the cost of living is higher.