The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate that is voluntarily paid by nearly 6,000 UK businesses who believe their staff deserve a fair day's pay for a hard day's work. Being a Living Wage employer means that not only do we pay the real living wage, which is higher than the government minimum, to all staff who we directly employ, but we also pay our contractors a living wage.
What is the real living wage?
In April 2016 the government introduced a higher minimum wage rate for all staff over 25 years of age inspired by the Living Wage campaign - even calling it the ‘national living wage’. However, the government's 'national living wage' is not calculated according to what employees and their families need to live. Instead, it is based on a target to reach 60% of median earnings by 2020. Under current forecasts, this means a rise to less than £9 per hour by 2020.
For under 25s, the minimum wage rates also take into account affordability for employers.
The real Living Wage rates are higher because they are independently calculated based on what people need to get by. That's why the Living Wage Foundation encourages all employers that can afford to do so to ensure their employees earn a wage that meets the costs of living, not just the government minimum. Now, over 180,000 employees have received a pay rise as a result of the Living Wage campaign.
You can find out more by visiting the Living Wage Foundation's website.
The High Court has ruled that retrospective changes to the LGPS exit credits regime were lawful – and gave some helpful guidance around the new discretion to pay an exit credit.
The Government has brought forward draft laws to allow independent schools to close the Teacher’s Pension Scheme to new joiners but to allow existing members to continue.
The Government has started consultation on the regulations providing the detailed framework for collective money purchase pension schemes.
In June we took on the challenge to become a Sepsis Savvy organisation - I'm really pleased to announce we've done it!
In 2020 the court rules were changed to require that all residential tenants must be given 14 days’ notice of an eviction. What happens though if the eviction is cancelled on the day?
We are delighted to announce that our private wealth law department has continued to maintain its Band 2 position in the latest edition of Chambers and Partners High Net Worth.
The new CHF is set to launch and open for applications with £4 million set to be allocated to community-led housing groups to support an increase the supply of affordable housing in England.
Charities, like other organisations, may be subject to or choose to voluntarily comply with the reporting requirements under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
The draft regulations making it mandatory for anyone entering a registered care home in England to have been double vaccinated unless they are clinically exempt were made on 22 July 2021.
Doug Mullen and Michelle Knight discuss the recent judicial review of regulations changing the regime governing exit credits in the local government pension scheme.
To receive invitations to our events, as well as information and articles on legal issues and sector developments that are of interest to you, please sign up to Newsroom.