Lankelly Chase has become the latest foundation to join the Living Wage Friendly Funder scheme, bringing the total up to eighteen grantmakers.
The Living Wage Friendly Funder scheme recognises grantmakers that support charities to pay the Living Wage through their grantmaking. Other members include Comic Relief, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Lloyds Bank Foundation.
To join the scheme grantmakers must support successful applicant charities to pay the Living Wage to any grant-funded staff posts.
Katherine Chapman, director of the Living Wage Foundation, said: “We are delighted to recognise Lankelly Chase as a Living Wage Friendly Funder. The leadership shown by Lankelly Chase demonstrates a commitment to tackling the serious problems that low pay brings to our communities.
“Many organisations in the voluntary and community sectors are working hard to tackle social injustice and poverty; it’s only right that those committed to these roles are afforded at least a Living Wage. We hope to see many more funders and corporates follow the lead of Lankelly Chase and the other Living Wage Friendly Funders.
“At a time when half of those in poverty live in a household where someone has a job, the Living Wage is much needed by families across the UK. The Living Wage is a robust calculation that reflects the real cost of living, rewarding a hard day’s work with a fair day’s pay.”
Three core principles
Living Wage Friendly Funders must commit to three core principles. The first is to become an accredited Living Wage Employer with the Living Wage Foundation. The second is to pay the Living Wage to grant funded posts or be demonstrably working towards paying this over a period of time agreed with the Living Wage Foundation.
The third is to support grantees to become Living Wage Employers by signposting them towards the Living Wage Foundation, other Living Wage Friendly Funders and other Living Wage organisations in their area.
Julian Corner, chief executive of the Lankelly Chase, said: “We are proud to sign up as a Living Wage Friendly Funder and help ensure charity workers can earn a real Living Wage.
“This scheme is all about collaboration. We are delighted to add our support to this important initiative and to be working with a diverse group of funders to combat voluntary sector low pay.”
The UK Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually. It is calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK and employers choose to pay it on a voluntary basis.
The Minimum Wage in the UK is currently £7.20 an hour in the UK, but the UK Living Wage, which is set independently and calculated in accordance to the basic cost of living in the UK, is considerably higher at £8.45, rising to £9.75 in London.
More information on the Living Wage Programme and its Friendly Funders programme can be seen here.
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