It’s official... We are London Living Wage Accredited!
Smart Group are proud to be part of the Living Wage movement as an accredited Living Wage Employer. This means that every member of staff in our organisation earns not just the minimum wage but the real Living Wage. Whilst the official accreditation is new, the hourly wage we pay our staff is not.
We are officially Accredited!
Smart Group are now officially accredited as a Living Wage employer which also covers the London Living Wage. Whilst the official accreditation is new, the hourly wage we pay our staff is not. We are proud to announce that our commitment to the Living Wage Movement has been recognised, and we are now officially accredited.
What does this mean for Smart Group Employees?
We are proud to be an accredited Living Wage Employer. This means that every member of staff in our organisation earns not just the minimum wage but the real Living Wage. The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate based on the cost of living. It is a voluntary rate of pay which we believe is only a fair swap for all their hard work. This extra pay means our staff can cover costs which meet every day needs – like the weekly shop or a surprise trip to the dentist.
To give an idea of how many people this may impact, over the 2022 Christmas period we employed over 8,200 staff to help us run our events. That is thousands who have been and will be positively affected by our accreditation.
What is the Living Wage and London Living Wage?
The Living Wage and London Living Wage is an hourly rate, independently calculated each year based on the best available evidence about living standards in the UK and is also separately calculated for those living in London. As opposed to the ‘National Minimum Wage’ which is a legal requirement for businesses across the UK to pay their employers, the Living Wage is voluntarily paid by businesses who believe that their staff deserve a wage which meets every day needs. On 22 September 2022, it was announced that this wage would increase to £10.90 and £11.95 for Londoners.
To draw comparisons, the Government’s Minimum Wage for under 23’s (£10.18) and the National Minimum wage of £10.42 for over 23’s, neither of which have London weighting.
To become an accredited Living Wage Employer, a business must pay all staff the Living Wage and have a plan in place to extend that to regular sub-contracted staff as well. Smart Group are pleased to have be a part of 12,500 Living Wage employers across the UK, joining the likes of Google, Nationwide and Chelsea FC.
We believe in looking after our employees and proudly go above and beyond to reward our excellent team for all their hard work; consequently, all employees are paid above the minimum London Living Wage and we are delighted that Smart Group recently received our full Living Wage Accreditation, which also covers London Living Wage.
