Leading firms sign up to pay cleaning staff the Real Living Wage
updated on 09 August 2019
The number of law firms paying staff at least the Real Living Wage has increased to 135, including all five of the magic circle and 20 of the top 30 UK firms.
The Law Gazette reports that sign ups from the legal sector to a scheme run by charity the Living Wage Foundation have risen by almost 50% in the past three years, ensuring that cleaning staff are paid fairly.
The Real Living Wage is calculated from the actual cost of living and is the pay level that someone in a job needs to be able to afford to live without being in poverty. It should not be confused with the National Living Wage, which is simply the rebranded National Minimum Wage set by the government. The Real Living Wage is currently £9 an hour (£10.55 in London), while the legal minimum wage that employers can choose to pay is £8.21 an hour for people over 25 and £7.70 an hour for those under 25.
Alongside the clear progress, the Gazette also reports that many firms have still not signed up to the Real Living Wage.
