Lanark and Hamilton East MP Angela Crawley has welcomed the new Scottish Living Wage rate of £8.75 an hour and encouraged more employers to sign up as Accredited Living Wage Employers.

The Scottish Living Wage, calculated to meet the cost of living, is reviewed every year based on living standards.

The rise of 30p per hour will benefit thousands of workers at Living Wage-accredited organisations across Scotland.

Ms Crawley is herself a Living Wage employer, and works with the Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative to promote the Living Wage across Lanark and Hamilton East.

Commenting, Angela said:

“The new Living Wage of £8.75 will be a welcome pay rise for thousands of workers across Scotland and in Lanark and Hamilton East, ensuring that people’s basic wage continues to meet the real costs of living.

“I would encourage all businesses in our community to consider becoming Scottish Living Wage employers. For business, paying the Living Wage makes sense – it’s an investment in people and all the evidence shows it leads to increased productivity and reduced staff absence and turnover, while sending a strong signal to customers about fairness.

“With millions of workers worse off as a result of the UK Government’s welfare cuts, and low pay one of the main drivers of in-work poverty, employers can make a real difference by choosing to pay the real Living Wage.

“I encourage all businesses in my constituency to recognise the benefits of paying the real Living Wage, and ask them to consider becoming accredited employers.”