84 000 Scots are paid the living wage [but not by Mrs Sarwar]who would not be in England and 840 000 more in England are not but would be if they lived in Scotland

In the Guardian yesterday:

Low-paid cleaners have accused the Living Wage Foundation of giving accreditation to an “uncaring” outsourcing company paying less than the living wage. Facilities services giant OCS is accredited under a bespoke scheme for outsourcing firms. But the company has only committed to paying a living wage to its centrally employed staff. The scheme does not cover the majority of OCS’s 50,000 workforce, who are tied to external contracts. 1

What’s the picture across the UK?

Scotland has the highest proportion of workers aged 18 and over who are paid the real Living Wage at 89.9% – ahead of 87.1% in Wales, 87% in England and 84.4% in Northern Ireland. The Scottish Government achieved real Living Wage employer status in 2015, the first government in the UK.

See that 2.8% difference between Scotland, it’s a wee percentage, does it matter?

Well, there are around 38 million employed in the UK3 so say 3 million in Scotland and 32 million in England.

So, 2.8% more in Scotland means 84 000 Scots are paid the living wage who would not in England and 840 000 more in England are not but would if they lived in Scotland.

Sources:

  1. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jan/19/living-wage-foundation-accused-of-accrediting-firms-not-paying-the-living-wage
  2. https://www.gov.scot/news/fair-work-milestone/#:~:text=Scotland%20has%20the%20highest%20proportion%20of%20workers%20aged,in%202015%2C%20the%20first%20government%20in%20the%20UK.
  3. https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/employmentintheuk/latest

3 thoughts on “84 000 Scots are paid the living wage [but not by Mrs Sarwar]who would not be in England and 840 000 more in England are not but would be if they lived in Scotland”

    1. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has confirmed that not all workers at his family’s wholesale business are currently paid the real living wage. His party wants to introduce new minimum rates of pay linked to the cost of living as part of its “new deal for workers”.

      Mr Sarwar….told BBC Scotland’s The Sunday Show it would have to start paying Labour’s “genuine living wage” if his party wins the general election.

      Other parties accused him of “hypocrisy” over the policy. Labour has not set out precisely what rate it would introduce but it backs a “minimum wage taking account of the cost of living”.

      Mr Sarwar waived his right to benefit from his family’s firm in 2017 after becoming an MSP. He confirmed not all staff at the firm were paid the Living Wage Foundation’s real living wage rate, but said that they would receive a cost of living-linked rate of pay if Sir Keir Starmer becomes prime minister. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cyxx8d0l948o#:~:text=The%20real%20living%20wage%20hourly,of%20their%201997%20election%20manifesto.

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  2. I would say the number is much higher. A business needs to pay the living wage people to register that you pay this wage and use their logo. When I was chair of Pollokshaws Burgh Hall Trust we paid all our staff the real living wage as a minimum (and they still do). But as a charity we decided to save on the expense of registering. I am sure we’re not the only ones.

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