Living Wage

Last year, we became an accredited Living Wage employer. Here’s what it meant to 20-year-old Jayde, who joined us two years ago as an assistant in our Kitchen technical team.

What did earning the Living Wage mean to you?

It meant I was able to pay the appropriate amount of rent to my parents and start a savings account for my future. It has given me a head start, it allows me to prepare better for the future at a young age, which is what I intended to do after leaving school early. This now means that I can actually save money for a car or mortgage deposit.

Why do you think it’s important?

This is important because it makes people feel valued for their hard work and also gives them a better quality of life with enough money to live and a little bit left over to save or enjoy. It allows younger people to prepare for their future and to be able to begin adulthood.

The accredited Living Wage is £8.25 an hour in the UK and £9.40 in London and is based on the cost of living, as calculated by an independent body. It is a voluntary scheme. The government’s new “national living wage” is £7.20 an hour or £6.70 for those under 25.