The Real Living Wage: London Living Wage Week 2022

Why it's important

With everyday expenses increasing across the country, now more than ever there is a real need for companies to recognise the value in the Living Wage standard.

The (Real) Living Wage is an independently-calculated wage based on what people need to get by – meeting the true cost of living, not just the government minimum. Created in 2016, it is voluntarily paid to all staff over 25 years of age at over 11,000 UK businesses who believe their staff deserve a wage which helps them to meet their day-to-day needs, such as putting food on the table or paying the utility bills.

2022 has seen the UK go through one of the toughest cost-of-living crises in living memory with inflation hitting an eye-watering 11.1%, leading to almost 2.5 million tenants struggling to pay their rent, families choosing between feeding their children or putting the heating on, and fuel prices through the roof.

The London Living Wage is calculated separately to reflect the higher cost of living for workers in the capital. Southwark is recognised as a ‘Living Wage Place’, which means that it’s designated as an area that goes above and beyond to ensure uptake of the living wage by businesses. British Land is proud to be a member of Southwark’s Living Wage Steering Group, helping embed the living wage across the borough.

Not only does the living wage support individual and family livelihoods, but it also makes business sense. Businesses paying the living wage report healthier, happier and more engaged employees, and a living wage also benefits the local economy by making people more financially secure and increasing their spending power.

The London Living Wage at Canada Water

At Canada Water, where significant construction is now underway, our contractors are committed to paying the London Living Wage so that local people can access meaningful, sustained employment as part of the development, working in quality careers they love, that are paid fairly.

Galldris, one of the prime contractors working on the Canada Water development, is fully committed to paying its employees, including its apprentices, above the London Living Wage. David Wake, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility & Apprenticeships at Galldris, comments: “We acknowledge that our employees deserve to be paid a proper living wage. Not only is it the correct thing to do, it also supports the recruitment and retention of staff. We are committed to paying our apprentices the London Living Wage across the business.”

Danny Hough, a local Southwark resident who started a Groundwork Apprenticeship earlier this year, is pleased to see that his salary is in line with his ability to meet rising costs.

Danny is the third apprentice that Galldris has employed at Canada Water, a job he found through Southwark Works and Southwark Construction Skills Centre. Groundworkers, the apprenticeship Danny is undertaking, work closely with supervisors and engineers in interpreting design specifications to prepare the site ready for the structural building works to take place.

Danny Hough, the latest apprentice at Galldris

Wates, the contractor building Plot A1 at Canada Water, has been an accredited, certified provider with the Living Wage Foundation since 2020.

Su Pickerill, Group Head of Social Value at Wates said: “Two in three children living in poverty in the UK have a working parent. Low pay risks trapping people in working poverty and creates a social cost because those earning below the Real Living Wage are more likely to be reliant on top-up benefits.

“Paying people fairly can make a significant difference, such as reducing the need for multiple jobs, enabling more quality time with family or allowing people the opportunity to save a little for emergencies. In the current challenging economic climate and particularly in London, it’s never been so important to play our part in challenging inequality which is why everyone working at our Plot A1 construction site is paid at least the London Living Wage rate.”

To find out more about job and apprenticeship opportunities in Canada Water and register your interest please visit www.canadawater.co.uk/jobs-and-training or contact [email protected]