This week marks Living Wage Week, and to mark the occasion Labour’s Deputy Leader, Councillor John Allcock, attended a networking event today hosted by the Brighton & Hove Living Wage Campaign.

Over 600 employers in Brighton & Hove have signed up to the Living Wage campaign, with 45 signing up since March this year.

To mark Living Wage Week, the campaign have launched a new video celebrating local living wage employers and featuring those employers explaining why it’s such a positive step for their businesses.

Launched in 2012, the campaign encourages businesses to pay their workers the real Living Wage, rather than the Government’s national minimum.

The real Living Wage is set independently each year and is based on the cost of living. As of November 2020, it stands at £9.50 per hour.

Labour Councillor John Allcock said:

“We have long championed workers being paid a proper living wage, so it’s really positive that as we celebrate Living Wage Week this year we have over 600 local businesses signed up.

“The cost of living is high in cities like Brighton & Hove, particularly when we look at the high cost of renting – so the more employers who pay their workers fairly, the better life our residents can enjoy.

“We will continue to acknowledge those employers who champion the real Living Wage and encourage others to do the same. The Brighton & Hove Living Wage campaign are doing fantastic work to ensure employees in our city can earn enough to live a decent life and not just survive.”