The Low Pay Commission has recommended a 3% rise in the National Minimum Wage for adults. This is the first time in 6 years the Commission has recommended an above inflation pay rise and would lift the NMW to £6.50. Rhys Moore, Director of the Living Wage Foundation said:
"We welcome the 3% increase in the national minimum wage recommended by the Low Pay Commission. At a time when over half the families living in poverty are in-work, it is a very welcome and much needed raise. A strong well-enforced national minimum wage is vital for our communities and our economy. The Government still has the opportunity to go beyond this recommendation, which would further benefit those on low pay.
"However the best employers are not waiting for government to act. They are voluntarily signing up to pay the Living Wage now. The current Living Wage of £7.65 for the UK and £8.80 for London is a robust calculation that reflects the real cost of living, rewarding a hard day's work with a fair day's pay.
"We have accredited over 570 leading employers ranging from cafes, hairdressers and a brewery, to well-known companies such as Axminster Tools & Machinery and Pearson, to Barclays, SSE and Salford City Council. These businesses recognise that clinging to the NMW is not good for business. Customers expect better than that. "
List of accredited employers available here: https://dev.livingwage.org.uk/employers