4PS UK celebrates commitment to the real Living Wage

We’re delighted to announce that 4PS UK has recently been accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Our Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at 4PS UK receive a minimum hourly wage of £10.90, significantly higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £9.50 per hour.

4PS UK is based in the West Midlands, a region where almost a fifth of all workers (19.3%) earn less than they need to earn to get by, with around 434,000 jobs paying less than the real Living Wage. 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 almost 400,000 people and put over £2 billion extra into the pockets of low paid workers.

Val Clarke, General Manager, 4PS UK, commented: “We have already been paying the Living Wage for several years and are extremely proud to now have this recognised through our accreditation as a Living Wage Employer.  Our commitment to the Living Wage ensures that we continue to pay all our employees fairly and recognise the valuable contribution that our people make to our business.

Katherine Chapman, Director, Living Wage Foundation said: “We’re delighted that 4PS UK has joined the movement of almost 11,000 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 businesses, as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays, Everton Football Club and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like 4PS UK, 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 £10.90 per hour. There is a separate London Living Wage rate of £11.95 per hour to reflect the higher costs of transport, childcare and housing in the capital. These figures are calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation and overseen by the Living Wage Commission, based on the best available evidence on living standards in London and the UK.

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 £9.50 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.