From August 2023 Phoenix Futures officially became accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Our commitment to Living Wage will see everyone working at Phoenix Futures receive well above the minimum hourly wage of £11.95 as set out by the living wage foundation, higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £10.42 per hour.
As an example of our services across London, a region where 13.6% of all jobs pay less than the real Living Wage – that’s 575,000 jobs. Despite this, we are committed to pay above the real Living Wage across all of our services dispersed regionally and Scotland, and deliver a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work.
About the Living Wage
The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to what people need to make ends meet. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that choose to take a stand by ensuring their staff earn a wage that meets the costs and pressures they face in their everyday lives.
The UK Living Wage is currently £10.90 per hour. There is a separate London Living Wage rate of £11.95 per hour to reflect the higher costs of transport, childcare and housing in the capital. These figures are calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation and overseen by the Living Wage Commission, based on the best available evidence on living standards in London and the UK.
What about the Government’s national living wage?
In July 2015 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the UK Government would introduce a compulsory ‘national living wage’. It was introduced in April 2016, originally applying for all workers over the age of 25, is currently £10.42 an hour and applies for workers over the age of 23. The rate is different to the Living Wage rates calculated by the Living Wage Foundation. The government rate is based on median earnings while the Living Wage Foundation rates are calculated according to the cost of living in London and the UK.
“One of Phoenix’s underpinning values is that of striving to be The Best. As an integral part of this focus we have always ensured that all staff are paid a fair salary. I am therefore delighted that this focus has now been officially recognised through the Award of Real Living Wage Accreditation. The Award not only recognises our progress to date, but also our continuing commitment in ensuring that not only our own staff, but also those of our suppliers and contractors are paid a fair salary”
Dorothy Brown, Chair of People and Remuneration Committee,
Phoenix Futures
