Local MSP for Almond Valley Celebrates Increase in the Real Living Wage

Local MSP for Almond Valley Celebrates Increase in the Real Living Wage

UK Government Should Follow Scotland’s Example and Become a Real Living Wage Employer, Says Angela Constance MSP

Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley, has welcomed the news that the Real Living Wage has increased from £12 to £12.60 across the UK, effective from Wednesday 23rd October. The Real Living Wage, which is based on the cost of living, differs from the UK Government’s minimum wage, commonly referred to as the “National Living Wage.”

Unlike the minimum wage, the Real Living Wage is adopted voluntarily by employers who recognise the importance of fair pay and the value of their workforce. A full-time worker earning the new Real Living Wage will earn £2,262 more annually than someone on the current government minimum wage.

The Scottish Government has been a strong advocate for the Real Living Wage since becoming an accredited employer in 2015. In Scotland, organisations that receive grants from public bodies are legally required to pay the Real Living Wage. As a result, Scotland now boasts nearly five times more accredited Real Living Wage employers than the rest of the UK, with almost 90% of workers aged over 18 earning the Real Living Wage or higher.

At present, the UK Government is not an accredited Real Living Wage employer.

Commenting on the increase, Angela Constance MSP said:

“After the steep rise in the cost of living in recent years, this will provide a much-needed boost for workers here in Almond Valley and across Scotland. The Scottish Government has been a strong advocate for the Real Living Wage since 2015, when we became an accredited employer. Since then, we’ve made it a legal requirement for organisations receiving public grants to pay the Real Living Wage.

“This has had a tangible impact in Almond Valley and across Scotland, which now has the highest proportion of workers earning the Real Living Wage or above anywhere in the UK. However, while both the Scottish and Welsh Governments are accredited Living Wage employers, the UK Government is not. I would urge the new UK Labour Government to take meaningful action on workers’ rights and follow the example set by the Scottish Government by implementing the Real Living Wage across their operations."

This increase in the Real Living Wage further strengthens Scotland’s position as a leader in fair pay, ensuring workers are fairly rewarded for their contributions.

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