Over 5,000 Southwark workers receive pay rise thanks to the London Living Wage

28 February 2024

Southwark Council is proud that the borough now has over 330 employers who pay the London Living Wage thanks to the support of the council’s Living Wage Unit.

Over 5,000 local workers have benefitted from a pay rise at a time when it is harder and harder to make ends meet.

Bosco Katabazi, cleaner at Borough Market, said: “I can afford to pay my bills and pay my bills on time. That’s because I work for company that pays the London Living Wage.”

Carla Sofia Cardso Pinto, food services co-ordinator at Spring Community Hub, said: “I can now do more with my children and afford to buy a car. It has helped me in my personal life a lot.”

The London Living Wage is currently £13.15 per hour (21 per cent more than the Government minimum wage). It's the only wage rate based on the additional costs of living in London.

The London Living Wage is paid on a voluntary basis. 94% of employers say they benefitted from signing up to pay the London Living Wage. Most of them describe a boost in reputation, recruitment, and retention of staff. 

Gather is an organic zero waste store on Bellenden Road, Peckham. They became a Living Wage employer in 2019 when they first took on staff.

Tash Gorst, founder of Gather, said: “Business is about people, so it matters how you treat yours. We've always paid the Living Wage. Our staff are the heart of Gather; they care, they’re engaged and they stick around - for much longer than is typical for retail. And when we do need to recruit, we get plenty of strong applicants. The Living Wage benefits everyone. We’re big fans.”

In Good Company is an online platform that provides an essential guide to the best local ethical businesses and experiences. As partners of the Living Wage Foundation, they proudly highlight over 50 Living Wage Foundation accredited small businesses in Southwark and across London which people can visit – cafes, restaurants, shops, hotels – for feel-good, guilt-free outings.

Sarah Kingston and Alex Birtles, co-founders of In Good Company, said: “We have been an accredited Living Wage Employer effectively since our inception; it was one of our earliest commitments as a socially responsible company. We believe paying a fair wage is the cornerstone of being a good business. It’s a principle we wholeheartedly advocate for and encourage all the businesses we support to embrace.”

Candoco is a world-leading professional and inclusive dance company of disabled and non-disabled dancers, based out of Mountview in Peckham.

Dr Dima Mekdad, executive director of Candoco Dance Company, said: “At Candoco, we aim to enhance our team's experience of working at the company, paying London's Living Wage as a minimum in our pay structure is essential and reflects our values. The accreditation was important to us as we would like to advocate for this in the wider networks we are working with.”

Over the last 2.5 years, £614,000 has been added to the Southwark's economy because workers have received a wage uplift on to the London Living Wage. When money is reinvested in this way, it supports other businesses and jobs in the borough. There is even further untapped potential for the 23,000 workers in Southwark who earn less than the London Living Wage.

Cllr Kieron Williams, leader of Southwark Council, said: “The message is loud and clear: the London Living Wage is good for workers, good for business, and good for our local economy. That’s why we established the council’s Living Wage Unit to support employers to pay the London Living Wage. We are proud that Southwark leads the way with more and more employers who think, like us, that people deserve to be paid fairly for their hard work. It's more important than ever with the rising cost of living.”

The number of Southwark employers who pay the London Living Wage grows month on month. In large part this is thanks to a group of local organisations who campaign with the support of the council to keep Southwark a Living Wage Place. They work alongside universities, property developers, charities, business improvement districts and other local employers of various sizes. This includes Borough Market, Mercato Metropolitano and Dulwich Hamlet Football Club.

Apply to become a new London Living Wage employer on the Living Wage Foundation’s website.

If you have 250 employees or less, apply for a grant from Southwark Council to cover your sign up fees for up to three years on their website.

For more information, contact SouthwarkBusinessDesk@southwark.gov.uk

Page last updated: 28 February 2024