Supermarket chain Lidl has announced that it will increase hourly pay for 25,000 employees to further support their financial wellbeing.
Employees on entry-level pay will see an increase of 20p to £9.50 an hour, and £10.75 to £10.85 for staff in London, which could go up to £11.85 depending on location and length of service. With this being the sixth year in a row that the supermarket has increased employee pay.
Effective from March 2021, the wage rates surpass the national minimum legal requirement that organisations have to pay staff, currently standing at £8.72 for employees over the age of 25, and aligns with the pay recommendation set by the Living Wage Foundation, which increased by 20p per hour in November 2020.
During the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, Lidl decided to not utilise the Government Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and has continued to keep its stores open across the country due to increased demand for essential items.
Christian Härtnagel, chief executive at Lidl, said: “It is only right that we increase the income for our employees who are the backbone of our organisation. This is about recognising their hard work and dedication in keeping the nation fed during a year like no other. They have served our customers through extremely challenging times and we will always be there to support them in return.”