Level Five Supplies commits to real living wage

Jon Hall

4th May 2021

Members of the Level Five Supplies team at Cranfield University

Level Five Supplies is delighted to announce that it has been accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Our Living Wage commitment will see everyone working with us receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.50, significantly higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £8.91 per hour.

Over 20% of jobs in the South West – around 456,000 – pay less than the real Living Wage. Despite this, Level Five Supplies has committed to pay the real Living Wage, paying at a fair and realistic rate.

The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that wish to ensure their staff earn a wage they can live on, not just the government minimum. Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 250,000 people and put over £1.3 billion extra into the pockets of low-paid workers.

Beyond the bottom line

“Level Five Supplies is committed to investing in our team and the local economy, and feel that paying the real Living Wage is an essential element of this,” said Alex Lawrence-Berkeley, CEO of Level Five Supplies.

“But it’s not only about the monetary aspect. Businesses need to appreciate the positive influences the Living Wage can have on team morale, service standards and improved productivity.”

Laura Gardiner, Director, Living Wage Foundation said: “We’re delighted that Level Five Supplies has joined the movement of over 7,000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.

“They join thousands of small businesses, as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays, Everton Football Club and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Level Five Supplies, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”