Employee Benefits poll: Just over two-thirds (64%) of employers do not think that the real living wage increase to £12.60 an hour goes far enough to support employees, according to a survey of Employee Benefit readers.
Nearly one-third (32%) of respondents said that they do think that the real living wage increase goes far enough to support employees, while 4% said they were unsure either way.
In October, Employee Benefits reported that the Living Wage Foundation will increase its real living wage rate to £12.60 across the UK and £13.85 in London.
More than 15,000 UK employers are signed up to pay the new rates for almost half a million employees. The rise is a 60p, or 5%, increase for the UK rate, and 70p, 5.3%, increase for the London rate. Employers will have six months to implement the increased rates by 1 May 2025.
The real living wage, which is calculated based on the actual cost of living, is a voluntary rate for employees aged 18 and over. It is higher than the government’s national living wage, which is set at £11.44 for those aged 21 and over, as well as the national minimum wage, which is £6.40 for those under 18, and £8.60 for those aged 18 to 20.
Katherine Chapman, director at the Living Wage Foundation, said: “Low-paid workers have been hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis and are still struggling to stay afloat amid persistently high prices. The real living wage remains the only UK wage rate calculated based on actual living costs, and the new rates announced today will make a massive difference to almost half a million workers who will see their pay increase.”
