The top 10 jobs still paying below the living wage
Nearly six million people still don't earn enough for an acceptable standard of living
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Your support makes all the difference.Nearly six million people are still paid less than the Living Wage - with retail and hospitality workers most likely to lose out.
A "worrying" new report by accountancy firm KPMG said that 23 per cent of British workers now earn less than £7.85 - or £9.15 in London - up from 22 per cent in 2014.
In real terms this equate to nearly half a million more people earning less than is required for an acceptable standard of living than at this point last year.
Low pay particularly affects women with 29 per cent of women earning less than living wage compared to 18 per cent of men.
Similarly 72 per cent of 18-21 year olds reported earning less than Living Wage compared to just 17 per cent of people aged 30-39.
The top 10 professions where people earn less than Living Wage:
1. Bar staff 90 per cent
2. Waiters and waitresses 85 per cent
3. Kitchen and catering assistants 80 per cent
4. Launderers, dry cleaners and pressers 80 per cent
5. Car valeters and cleaners 80 per cent
6. Basic services occupations 75 per cent
7. Cleaners and domestics 75 per cent
8. Leisure and theme park workers 70 per cent
9. Basic administration workers 70 per cent
10. Sales and retail assistants 70 per cent
The Living Wage is a voluntary rate set by the Living Wage Foundation and has no legal backing.
Mike Kelly, the Head of Living Wage at KPMG said the campaign was making progress with the number of FTSE 100 companies paying the Living Wage increasing from four to 18 over the past year but much more work still needed to be done.
He said: "With the cost of living still high the squeeze on household finances remains acute, meaning that the reality for many is that they are forced to live hand to mouth. The figures released today show that there is still more to be done if we are to eradicate in work poverty.
"For some time it was easy for businesses to hide behind the argument that increased wages hit their bottom line, but there is ample evidence to suggest the opposite – in the shape of higher retention and higher productivity. It may not be possible for every business, but it is certainly not impossible to explore the feasibility of paying the Living Wage."
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