Council marks three years of being a Living Wage employer
East Ayrshire Council is celebrating its third year of being an accredited Living Wage Employer, meaning that every member of staff working for the Council will earn a real Living Wage.
The Council achieved accredited living wage status in April 2020 after undergoing a rigorous application process.
The real Living Wage is higher than the government’s minimum, or National Living Wage, and is an independently calculated hourly rate of pay that is based on the actual cost of living. It is calculated each year and is announced by the Living Wage Foundation as part of Living Wage Week. It is currently £10.90 in the UK.
Over 11,000 organisations, including East Ayrshire Council, voluntarily choose to pay the real Living Wage because they believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.
Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of the Council said: “The Council wholly supports the real Living Wage which, unlike the National Living Wage, is based on living costs including housing, fuel, food, childcare, transport and essential items of clothing, like winter coats for children.
“Now that we are in a Cost of Living crisis, it’s even more important that we provide employees and their families with some much-needed stability and security, and at a time of rising costs, the real Living Wage can offer some protection from these.
“Achieving accredited Living Wage status in 2020 was an important part of our vision for East Ayrshire and our local workforce. We are proud to be accredited Living Wage employers more so than ever right now.”
You can find out more about the Living Wage by visiting www.livingwage.org.uk.
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