Chris Savage shares his thoughts on the issue of the Living Wage...

PUBLIC spending is dramatically increasing because of government cuts in social welfare, and with the rapid rise of those in paid work applying to food banks to put food on the table, it is no wonder that we hear so much these days about the Living Wage.

The Living Wage Foundation describes it as an hourly rate set independently and updated annually. It is calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK.

Currently the Living Wage in London is £8.80 and in the rest of the UK it is £7.65. The current minimum wage is set at £6.31.

The Living Wage enjoys cross party support and is seen as being good for business and the individual, who becomes more productive. It is also seen as being good for society. So it is very surprising that the Labour party, if it forms the next government in 2015, would encourage employers to pay the Living Wage but shies away from legislation to give it the force of law. A radical change is needed, particularly as there are a growing number of companies signing up to pay.

Eighteen months ago, the Church of England’s General Synod carried a motion endorsing the “Christian values” that underpinned the Living Wage, and called on the Church to embrace it. A Church Times investigation found that 33 out of 34 dioceses who took part confirmed that all their staff are paid the Living Wage as well as numerous cathedrals, charities and all national church institutions.

In Salisbury Diocese all diocesan staff are paid the Living Wage except 36 employees of a chain of academies run by the Diocese of Salisbury Academies Trust. A spokesman for the Diocese said their wages could not be lifted without raising pay levels for other employees. This is a very poor excuse and it reflects badly on the Diocese of Salisbury. It feels as though the other employees need, as well as deserve, an increase in their pay levels. My experience over many years as an industrial chaplain teaches me that the morale of employees is high when they feel valued by their employers. Paying a just wage helps a workforce to be productive and enhances the ethos of the company. Saying I can’t afford to pay the Living Wage is not an option if you believe in a fair and just society.