MORE than a quarter of workers in Bury North do not earn the Living Wage.
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show 14,000 people, 26 per cent of the borough’s workers, are earning below the voluntary threshold.
The Living Wage Foundation says, outside London, the amount people should earn per hour they work is £8.75, up 30p from last year.
Katherine Chapman, Living Wage Foundation Director, said: “The new Living Wage rates announced recently will bring relief for workers in Bury being squeezed by stagnant wages and rising inflation.
“It’s thanks to the leadership of over 3,600 employers across the UK who are committed to paying all their staff, including cleaners and security staff, a real Living Wage.”
Bury North MP, James Frith supports the Living Wage and spoke in the House of Commons this month, asking what ministers planned to incentivise businesses to become Living Wage employers.
He said: “Some sectors in the UK are better predisposed than others to paying higher wages, but the rising cost of living applies to all.”
He said: “In work poverty is a growing issue because of the Government’s failure.”
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