Chamber celebrates living wage week
Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC), along with some of its members, are marking Living Wage Week which starts today.
The Living Wage, set by the Living Wage Foundation, is based on independent calculations as to the cost of living.
The latest Living Wage rates - announced on Thursday, 22 September 2022 - stand at £11.95 per hour in London and £10.90 per hour outside of London.
Employers should implement the rise as soon as possible but by the latest on 14 May 2023.
It is higher than the Government's 'national living wage, ' which is instead based on a target to reach 66 per cent of median earnings by 2024.
The Living Wage rate is voluntarily paid by over 11,000 businesses across the UK, including the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce and many of our members including Edgbaston Stadium and Aston University.
Henrietta Brealey, chief executive of the GBCC said: “The cost of living is front of mind for many making Living Wage week even more pertinent this year.
“I 'm proud to be part of Birmingham City Council 's Living Wage action group, helping raise awareness of the real living wage among the local business community. I 'm delighted to see more leading organisations become accredited by the Living Wage Foundation this year.
“At the GBCC, we have been a living-wage accredited employer since 2017. It aligns perfectly with our values and responsibilities and reflects our commitment to team Chamber - our colleagues who are essential in delivering our mission to connect, support and grow local businesses.
“Many businesses we speak to are also supportive about the idea of a living wage and want to do more to support their staff.
“We appreciate that it may not be possible for every business, but certainly encourage all employers to explore whether the living wage accreditation could benefit you and your workforce. ”
Stone King LLP, Citysave Credit Union Ltd, Rowan Precision, and Edgbaston Stadium are also among the Chamber members who have been accredited as a living wage employer.
Edgbaston stadium, home to the Warwickshire Cricket Club, became the first cricket club in the country to be accredited as a real living wage employer.
The Living Wage commitment will see all directly employed staff and contractors at the club receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.90, significantly higher than the government minimum for adults aged over 23, which currently stands at £9.50 per hour.
As a result of the accreditation, more than 180 regular staff who work at Edgbaston for the club, or for partners G4S and Compass, have now moved to the real Living Wage rate, with further casual staff also benefiting from the increase.
Stuart Cain, chief executive of Edgbaston Stadium said: “Giving local people the chance to earn a decent wage is important if we want to help support the communities we serve.
“So, we 're delighted to be named as a Real Living Wage employer. I think we 're the first professional sports club in the West Midlands, and the first cricket club in the UK to make this commitment. ”
Click here for further information about the Living Wage foundation.