Everton Football Club has committed to paying staff and contractors the voluntary living wage.
Over the next three years, the football club will ensure that over 700 contractors receive a pay rise, which could amount to as much as an additional £2,000 a year. A further 250 casual and match-day staff will also receive a pay increase.
Paid on a voluntary basis, the living wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living. As of 31 October 2016, the living wage stands at £8.45 an hour in the UK, and £9.75 an hour in London.
Everton has accredited three separate organisations to become a living wage employer, including Everton in the Community, Everton in the Community Free School Trust, and Everton Football Club Company.
Professor Denise Barrett-Baxendale, deputy chief executive and director at Everton Football Club, said: “Here at Everton, we are committed to being a first choice employer and becoming living wage accredited is a natural step towards that.
“We have been working hard behind the scenes and consulting with our staff and stakeholders; it is extremely important to us that we treat all of our colleagues well and reward people fairly in terms of their pay. Supporting the accredited living wage is quite simply the right thing to do; it improves our employees’ quality of life but also benefits our business and society as a whole.”
