Southwark urges local firms to pay London Living Wage

Currently only 108 Southwark businesses are accredited Living Wage Employers, while 22 per cent of employees in Southwark earn below the London Living Wage.

This week Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced that the London Living Wage – which unlike the Government's national living wage takes into account the cost of living – is to rise from £9.75 to £10.20 per hour.

"Southwark Council became an accredited Living Wage employer in 2011 which means that we pay all our directly employed staff the Living Wage and promote the Living Wage throughout our supply chain," said Cllr Johnson Situ, cabinet member for business, culture and social regeneration.

"It's really important to us to ensure that all our employees earn a decent wage, especially with the high cost of living in London.

"But as well as being the right thing to do, research from the Cardiff Business School shows that paying staff a living wage has a positive impact on businesses.

"So we are calling on all Southwark employers to consider paying their staff a living wage this Living Wage Week."

Accredited Living Wage employers in SE1 include the Diocese of Southwark, London South Bank University, ABTA, Anthony Gold Solicitors and St Saviour's & St Olave's School.