Brighton & Hove Living Wage Campaign reaches 800 employers signed up!
7th July 2022
Author EditorPosted on Categories Business
Over 4,000 salaries raised across Brighton & Hove
There was cause for celebration recently, as Brighton & Hove Living Wage Campaign reached over 800 signups.
Started in 2012, the campaign is led by Brighton Chamber and is the only business-led campaign in the UK. At 805 signups, there have been over 4,000 salaries elevated across our city as a result of the campaign – and it’s seen steady growth with employers signing up even throughout the pandemic.
On 19 May, Living Wage employers from across the city came together to celebrate the milestone, network and share their stories.
Sarah Springford, CEO of Brighton Chamber, spoke about the history of the Living Wage Campaign: “Brighton & Hove Living Wage Campaign has been running for 10 years, and we’ve come a really long way since then. But, with over 16,000 businesses in Brighton & Hove, there’s still a long way to go.”
Brighton & Hove City Council have supported the campaign since it was set up, and Councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty, Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, spoke about the impact of the campaign throughout our city, emphasizing that despite the impacts of Covid-19 and economic changes: “Everyone should earn enough to cover the cost of living” in Brighton & Hove.”
The Living Wage is set independently and updated annually according to the basic cost of living in the UK, and the amount a person needs to live to a reasonable standard. The aim of the campaign is to support and encourage local businesses to voluntary commit to paying their employees the real Living Wage, instead of the government’s national minimum.
In a recent survey to Living Wage employers, 4 out of 5 respondents said they would take into account whether a supplier pays the living wage when searching for and choosing new suppliers to do business with.
Nearly half the respondents also felt that signing up to the Living Wage Campaign was positive for both employee recruitment and PR, sharing some compelling stories around retention, staff morale and productivity – particularly for employers working in the hospitality industry.
The new rate is announced every November during Living Wage Week, and businesses are given until 1 April to implement the new rate, which is currently £9.90 per hour.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the campaign, think you might already be a Living Wage employer, or know someone who is – find out more and sign up (for free) on the Brighton & Hove Living Wage Campaign website: livingwagebrighton.co.uk.
Brighton & Hove Living Wage Campaign is a collaboration between Brighton Chamber, Brighton & Hove City Council, and UNISON Brighton & Hove Branch.