MORE than 13,000 key workers considered vital to the UK’s response to the coronavirus crisis are earning below the ‘real’ living wage in Wychavon, new data suggests.
Around one in four workers in Wychavon including cleaners, shelf stackers, hospital porters, waste collectors, retail workers, van drivers, security guards and factory workers are paid less than the Living Wage Foundation’s ‘real’ living wage rate of £9.30 an hour, according to government and trade union figures.
The real living wage is a voluntary scheme devised by the Living Wage Foundation and is calculated based on costs such as food, clothing and household bills. The Living Wage Foundation rate is currently £9.30 an hour for those outside London.
The National Living Wage, which is different to the voluntary ‘real’ living wage and is set by the government, was increased to £8.72 an hour.
The figures come from data provided by the Office for National Statistics and survey results from trade union GMB, which represents more than 62,000 workers including key workers.
A spokesman for the Department for Business said it was "right" to ensure the lowest paid are "fairly rewarded" - particularly those working in essential services. The increase to the National Living Wage would give 2.4 million workers an extra £930 a year, the spokesman said.
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