General Election 2024· Living Wage How to weigh up minimum wage manifesto promises Money talks but the bite is what matters 31 May 2024 by Gavin Kelly and Nye Cominetti and Hannah Slaughter While the principle of there being a minimum wage is, happily, no longer a matter of ideological contention in British politics, its future level is likely to remain a key labour market question in the general election campaign. It matters. First and foremost for the 1.6 million workers who directly rely on it (as well … Continued READ MORE
Low pay· Labour market· Living Wage The evidence backing a higher minimum wage is growing 4 November 2019 by Nye Cominetti You wait for a minimum wage report and then three come along at once. This morning the Treasury published Arin Dube’s keenly awaited review of minimum wage policy in the UK. Dube backs the Chancellor’s ambitions to raise the rate to two-thirds of median hourly pay, but offers useful honesty about the risks involved, as … Continued READ MORE
Low pay· Labour market· Pay· Living Wage Britain can afford an even higher minimum wage – but we need to tread carefully 30 May 2019 by Nye Cominetti Britain has long had a low pay problem. For most of the last two decades around one in five workers has been in low-paid work – earning less than two-thirds of the typical hourly pay – at any given time. This is a massive problem given how hard it can be to escape low pay. … Continued READ MORE
Pay· Living Wage· Economy and public finances· Political parties and elections Money can’t buy you love. But can it help you win an election? 26 September 2016 by Conor D’Arcy The centrepiece of John McDonnell’s conference speech in Liverpool today was a pledge to “write a real Living Wage into law”, creating clear (if still lyrically confusing) water between Labour and the government’s national living wage (NLW) policy. The apparent consensus around the benefits of a higher wage floor is a long way removed … Continued READ MORE
Pay· Living Wage We don’t want an economy where everything that is good is compulsory 10 October 2015 by David Willetts It is Living Wage week and Boris Johnson has said he wants employers across London to pay at a rate of £9.40 an hour, while businesses outside the capital are being asked to pay £8.25. That is not to be confused with the National Living Wage announced by George Osborne in the Summer, which will … Continued READ MORE
Pay· Living Wage Lidl’s welcome announcement shows that employers can do things differently 18 September 2015 by Conor D’Arcy The past few months have seen some big wins for low-paid workers. This morning’s welcome announcement that Lidl will pay all their staff the Living Wage comes soon after IKEA pledged to do the same and the Chancellor’s major announcement in the Summer Budget of the ‘National Living Wage’. But as well as these positive … Continued READ MORE
Low pay· Pay· Living Wage The national living wage alone is not enough 15 September 2015 by Adam Corlett A pay rise for six million people sounds great but the new national living wage is a policy that that cannot stand in isolation. The National Living Wage is set to bring much-needed pay rises – but it can’t solve our living standards challenge alone. After an unprecedented six-year pay squeeze, wage levels have finally started … Continued READ MORE
Social care· Low pay· Pay· Living Wage Better pay for care workers: up-front costs but long-term gains 20 January 2015 by Laura Gardiner There is growing realisation that the race to the bottom in working conditions is becoming a barrier to quality in social care. Low pay, at times below the minimum wage, and unenviable terms are unlikely to deliver the sustainable long-term care system that our ageing society requires. While many accept this, so far we have … Continued READ MORE
