Last week, the UK Government announced the National Living Wage for those over 23 will rise from £9.50 to £10.42 in April 2023.
That’s an increase of over 9%, although a lot less than the TUC called for. Some employers are already paying over the minimum £10.42 rate for their hourly paid roles right now, according to job board Breakroom. Its latest report reveals that employers like Lidl, Costco and Apple are already paying the newly announced minimum wage right now, so job seekers can take advantage months before it comes into effect.
Lidl, for example, increased its entry-level rates from £10.10 to £10.90 per hour outside of London; and £11.30 to £11.95 per hour within the M25, last month. Other highly rated employers currently hiring include Heathrow Airport and Rolls-Royce.
“The announcement of the rise of the National Living wage is a step in the right direction. However, whilst pay is rising it’s still being outpaced by inflation and the new government Living Wage is still behind that of the Real Living Wage at £10.90 outside London and £11.95 for those working in London,” noted Anna Maybank, Co-Founder and CEO of Breakroom. “It also doesn’t come into effect until next April and our members have told us that the combination of low pay mixed with the cost-of-living crisis is the number one reason they are currently looking to leave or change jobs.
FAIR PAYING EMPLOYERS
Employers already paying the 2023 National Living Wage rate or more right now, include:
- Rolls-Royce
- Apple
- Costco
- Lidl
- Royal Mail
- Openreach
- British Gas
- Warburtons
- Go Ahead London
- Heathrow Airport
- Amazon
- First Bus
- Stagecoach
EMPOWERING JOBSEEKERS
Using the data from Breakroom members “we can show pay ranges for jobs even if it isn’t included in the job advert, so job seekers can easily find employers paying more than the new minimum wage and are hiring right now”, explained Maybank. “We’ve built the first people-powered jobs site that helps users not just find a job but find a ‘good’ job. Breakroom gives everyone access to great information empowering them to get a ‘good’ job.”
Breakroom doesn’t just help users find a job, but also if it’s well-rated and meets their needs. “We ask and answer the questions that matter to the community, such as: ‘How much are you paid per hour?’; How much notice do you get for your shifts?; and ‘does your manager treat you with respect?’,” added Maybank.
Breakroom started in 2019 to help the 100 million frontline workers who are paid by the hour in the UK get a good job that’s right for them. “Rising inequality is one of the biggest challenges we face in the world today,” according to Maybank. “At Breakroom, we’re tackling it. We’re a for-profit company with a social mission: Make every job a good one. Good jobs benefit everyone. By empowering job seekers to find the jobs that are right for them, giving employers better-matched candidates that become happier long-term employees who are less likely to quit.”
TUC CALLED FOR MINIMUM WAGE TO RISE TO £15
However, the Minimum Wage is a lot less than the UK’s largest trade body TUC was expecting. Earlier this summer, the TUC called for the minimum wage to rise to £15 by October 2022 to deal with the spiralling cost of living crisis. The current rise falls well short of this. Read more here.
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