Over 5,000 local workers have benefitted from a pay rise since their employer signed up for the council’s Living Wage scheme.
In Southwark, there are now more than 330 employers who pay their staff the London Living Wage, which is £13.15 per hour – including Southwark News.
At 21 per cent more than the Government minimum wage, it is the only wage rate based on the additional costs of living in London.
It has helped locals like Bosco Katabazi, a cleaner at Borough Market, to have peace of mind when it comes to paying his bills on time, and, Carla Sofia Cardso Pinto, food services coordinator at Spring Community Hub, who commented: “I can now do more with my children and afford to buy a car. It has helped me in my personal life a lot.”
The London Living Wage is paid voluntarily, so whilst employers are not required to follow it, 94 per cent of the people who did say they benefitted from it.
Most of them describe a boost in reputation, recruitment, and retention of staff.
Gather is an organic zero-waste store on Bellenden Road, Peckham. They became a Living Wage employer in 2019 when they first took on staff.
Tash Gorst, founder of Gather, said: “Business is about people, so it matters how you treat yours. Paying the Living Wage is a key part of our employee offer and it’s helped us to build a brilliant team.
“Our staff are the heart of Gather; they care, they’re engaged and they stick around (for much longer than is typical for retail). When we do need to recruit, we usually get plenty of strong applicants. The Living Wage benefits everyone. We’re big fans.”
Over the last two and a half years, £614,000 has been added to Southwark’s economy because workers have received a wage uplift on to the London Living Wage.
When money is reinvested in this way, it supports other businesses and jobs in the borough. There is even further untapped potential for the 23,000 workers in Southwark who earn less than the London Living Wage.
Cllr Kieron Williams, leader of Southwark Council, said: “The message is loud and clear: the London Living Wage is good for workers, good for business, and good for our local economy. That’s why we established the council’s Living Wage Unit to support employers to pay the London Living Wage.
We are proud that Southwark leads the way with more and more employers who think, like us, that people deserve to be paid fairly for their hard work. It’s more important than ever with the rising cost of living.”
The number of Southwark employers who pay the London Living Wage grows every month. In large part, this is thanks to a group of local organisations who campaign with the support of the council to keep Southwark a Living Wage Place.
They work alongside universities, property developers, charities, business improvement districts and other local employers of various sizes. This includes Borough Market, Mercato Metropolitano and Dulwich Hamlet Football Club.
Apply to become a new London Living Wage employer at livingwage.org.uk