Our Living Wage commitment will see everyone working across Skyline Whitespace, Whitespace XPO and WhiteboxGo receive a minimum hourly wage of £13.15, significantly higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £10.42 per hour.
Whitespace Group is based in London, a region where 13.6% of all jobs pay less than the real Living Wage – that’s 575,000 jobs. Despite this, we have committed to pay the real Living Wage and deliver a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work.
The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that wish to ensure their staff earn a wage they can live on, not just the government minimum. Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 460,000 people and put £3 billion extra into the pockets of low paid workers.
Mary Cole, Managing Director at Whitespace Group, said: “We are proud to announce our commitment to being a Living Wage company. Our dedication to fair compensation reflects our belief in fostering a thriving and equitable workplace. By ensuring our employees earn a living wage, we contribute to a sustainable future and support the well-being of our valued team members.”
Katerine Chapman, Director at Living Wage Foundation, said: “We’re delighted that Whitespace Group has joined the movement of over 14,000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.
“They join thousands of small business, as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays, Everton FC and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of responsible employer and they, like Whitespace Group, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”
About the Living Wage
The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to what people need to make ends meet. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that choose to take a stand by ensuring their staff earn a wage that meets the costs and pressures they face in their everyday lives.
The UK Living Wage is currently £12 per hour. There is a separate London Living Wage rate of £13.15 per hour to reflect the higher costs of transport, childcare and housing in the capital. These figures are calculated annually by the Resolution Foundations and overseen by the Living Wage Commission, based on the best available evidence on living standards in London and the UK.
The Living Wage Foundation is the organisation at the heart of the movement and businesses, organisations and individuals who campaign for the simple idea that a hard day’s work deservers a fair day’s pay. The Living Wage Foundation receives guidance and advise from the Living Wage Advisory Council. The Foundation is supported by principal partners: Aviva; IKEA; Joseph Rowntree Foundation; KPMG; Linklaters; Nationwide; Nestle; Resolution Foundation; Oxfam; Trust for London; People’s Health Trust; and Queen Mary University of London.
What about the Government’s national living wage?
In July 2015 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the UK Government would introduce a compulsory ‘national living wage’. It was introduced in April 2016, originally applying for all workers over the age of 25, is currently £10.42 an hour and applies for workers over the age of 23. The rate is different to the Living Wage rates calculated by the Living Wage Foundation. The government rate is based on median earnings while the Living Wage Foundation rates are calculated according to the cost of living in London and the UK.