The National Living Wage, the minimum wage set by government for over 23s, is currently £8.91 (increasing to £9.50 in April 2022). This is not enough money for people to get by. The Living Wage Foundation campaigns for organisations to pay and government to set a real Living Wage, a UK wage rate calculated based on what it truly costs for people to get by. Hundreds of organisations across the country voluntarily pay this real Living Wage.
Each year the Foundation holds a Living Wage Week campaign, and 2021 marked the 20th anniversary of this campaign for a real Living Wage. As is custom the real UK Living Wage rate was revised on Living Wage Week to £9.90 an hour (£11.05 for London). The big news for Greater Manchester was that Andy Burnham announced plans to make Greater Manchester the first UK region to pay all employees a real Living Wage.
Macc is amongst the 74% of VCSE organisations in Greater Manchester who pay their staff the real Living Wage. To celebrate Living Wage Week we interviewed friends and colleagues across our sector about the real Living Wage and what it means to them and their organisation. For example we asked how the real Living Wage fits with their organisation’s mission and how they think the VCSE sector as a whole can be better supported to sign up to paying the real Living Wage.
Interviews:
Mike Wild - Macc
Darren Knight - George House Trust
Adrian Ball - Manchester Settlement
Kai and Tim - Yes Manchester
Olympias Music Foundation
Q&A's with the Mustard Tree
