Charterhouse Accountants Ltd celebrates commitment to Real Living Wage
Living Wage Accreditation
PRESS RELEASE 11th May 2021 Charterhouse Accountants Ltd CELEBRATES COMMITMENT TO REAL LIVING WAGE Charterhouse has today accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Our Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at Charterhouse receive the London Living Wage of £10.85. This rate is significantly higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £8.91 per hour. As a company we already meet this requirement but this does not only extend to our employees but also any 3rd party contractors that work with us, such as cleaners and security staff, which have now been secured the London Living Wage salary rate. Charterhouse is based in Harrow, London, a region where nearly a fifth of all jobs (19%) pay less than the real Living Wage – around 785,000 jobs. Despite this, Charterhouse has committed to pay the real Living Wage and deliver a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work. The 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. Rut Stefansdottir, Head of HR at Charterhouse shared with us: Being a London Living wage employer is important to us, it is one more step we are taking in promoting transparency and increase communication. In line with our values we are adaptable to everyone’s needs, that means not just our employees but also 3rd party contractors we work with and benefit from this accreditation. We all are all links in a chain and without one the other suffers so we are proud to be a part of this positive movement. Laura Gardiner, Director, Living Wage Foundation said: “We’re delighted that Charterhouse 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 Charterhouse, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.” ENDS To find out more about how Charterhouse’s work please contact: Owen Hughes, Marketing, owen.hughes@charter-house.net or 020 8863 4566. Notes to Editors About the Living Wage The Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to what people need to make ends meet. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that choose to take a stand by ensuring their staff earn a wage that meets the costs and pressures they face in their everyday lives. The UK Living Wage is currently £9.50 per hour. There is a separate London Living Wage rate of £10.85 per hour to reflect the higher costs of transport, childcare and housing in the capital. These figures are calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation and overseen by the Living Wage Commission, based on the best available evidence on living standards in London and the UK. The Living Wage Foundation is the organisation at the heart of the movement of businesses, organisations and individuals who campaign for the simple idea that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. The Living Wage Foundation receives guidance and advice from the Living Wage Advisory Council. The Foundation is supported by our principal partners: Aviva; IKEA; Joseph Rowntree Foundation; KPMG; Linklaters; Nationwide; Nestle; Resolution Foundation; Oxfam; Trust for London; People’s Health Trust; and Queen Mary University of London. About Charterhouse Working from Harrow, the Charterhouse team has been established for over 51 years. We aim to meet your needs to deliver increased value for you and your business. We adapt our business, accounting and taxation knowledge, experience and the latest technology to suit your needs. Building strong relationships is critical in the world of accountancy. We approach our relationships with our clients – businesses and individuals – as a true partnership. We are committed and get to know them personally so that we can create the bespoke solutions that set us apart from the competition. What about the Government’s national living wage? In July 2015 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the UK Government would introduce a compulsory ‘national living wage’. It was introduced in April 2016, originally applying for all workers over the age of 25, and, as of April 2021, is currently £8.91 an hour and applies for workers over the age of 23. The rate is different to the Living Wage rates calculated by the Living Wage Foundation. The government rate is based on median earnings while the Living Wage Foundation rates are calculated according to the cost of living in London and the UK.