Leading East Anglian social care provider Black Swan Care Group is committing to providing the Real Living Wage to all of its employees. From 1st April 2023, all Black Swan staff will be paid at least the Real Living Wage of £10.90 per hour.
What is the Real Living Wage?
The UK Government sets minimum wage rates for the UK workforce, starting with the Minimum Wage at £9.18 per hour for those aged over 21. This rises to £9.50 per hour for over 23s under the National Living Wage. Both of these thresholds are statutory rates. The Real Living Wage, at £10.90 per hour for anyone over the age of 18, is a voluntary rate paid by UK businesses who believe their staff deserve a wage that meets everyday needs. This rate comes into force on 1st April 2023.
The hourly rate is set using a calculation based on the cost of living, centred around the cost of a basket of goods and services, set by the UK Government: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/consumer-price-inflation-basket-of-goods-and-services-2023.
Black Swan provides care and support to over 550 people in residential care homes in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire employing over 800 people.
A spokesperson for Black Swan explained: “We believe that our staff deserve to be rewarded with fair and reasonable pay, reflecting the skilled work that they do. We’re delighted to be accredited by the Living Wage Foundation and are fully committed to giving our staff a wage that meets everyday needs and sits above the statutory Government minimum wages.”