Government commits to £7.45 Scottish Living Wage

Finance Secretary John Swinney has announced a new living wage of £7.45 for employees working in parts of the public sector under the Government’s pay policy, and urged employers in the private, public and third sectors to follow suit.

The commitment is in line with the Scottish Living Wage Campaign and the Living Wage Foundation’s new recommended living wage of £7.45 per hour, which encourages employers to ensure all staff on lower incomes receive a fair level of pay.

The requirement to pay a living wage was introduced in the Scottish Government’s pay policy in 2011-12, benefiting approximately 6,000 workers. This new rate of £7.45 will potentially benefit up to 3,300 workers.

The Scottish Government has control over wage levels for most civil servants in central government, government agencies, non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and the NHS. The new rate will apply as of 1st April 2013, which is the start of the next public sector pay round.