Clothing brand Uniqlo UK is to increase wages for its entry level employees across the county by 7% from 1 April.
The organisation’s London-based staff will see their hourly pay rise from £12.40 to £13.15, while those located across the UK will receive an increase to £12.15 from £11.40. These new rates are higher than the Living Wage Foundation’s real living wage.
This is the second wage increase in two years that the organisation has implemented, meaning, on average, Uniqlo entry grade staff have seen their annual pay increase by up to 29% since 2022. That year, London-based staff had a pay rise from £10.20 to £12, and those across the UK had an increase from £9.70 to £10.80.
In addition, from 1 April, Uniqlo will introduce an enhanced equal pay scheme for all parents taking leave for the birth or adoption of a child. Subject to meeting the eligibility criteria of one year’s service by qualifying week, each parent will receive 26 weeks' full pay to be taken in two blocks, if preferred, during the first 12 months after the baby’s birth.
Shop-floor staff will also now receive £300 net pay towards clothing each year.
A Uniqlo spokesperson said: “Uniqlo is working towards becoming the employer of choice, by building on what we implemented in 2022, this new wage increase will help us recruit the best talent who want to develop their career with us. This investment in our staff is in line with Uniqlo UK’s ambitious growth plan, enabling us to be an attractive employer for young talent.”
Uniqlo's other employee benefits include a 30% staff discount, two paid days for volunteering each year, an enhanced holiday allowance of 34 days including bank holidays, private healthcare options for assistant managers and above, and managers can apply for a development fund up to £1,000 every six months.
