At least 180,000 people that work for real Living Wage employers across the country are set for a pay rise as the new Living Wage rates rises by 25p to £9 around the UK, and by 35p to £10.55 in London.

The 2018 increases have been largely driven by higher transport costs, private rents and council tax feeding through to the basket of goods and services that underpin the rates.

The announcements come after research published yesterday by KPMG found over a fifth of jobs pay less than the real Living Wage, with 1.2 million more jobs paying below the Living Wage since 2012.

The Living Wage Foundation is calling on all major employers to help tackle this rising problem of low pay by committing to go beyond the government minimum and pay a wage their staff can really live on.

More than 1,200 employers have signed up to go beyond the government minimum to pay the real Living Wage in the last year, joining over 4,700 employers across the UK.

Private companies with a presence in Suffolk, Norfolk and North Essex that have signed up to offer the real Living Wage to their employees:

Aviva insurance company in Norwich,

Anglian Building Products in Norwich,

Attwells Solicitors in Ipswich,

Engage Norfolk support services for those with disabilities in King’s Lynn,

Ikea in Norwich,

Home Instead Senior Care, who offer services across the region,

Lattice Lodge Guest House,

Majestic Wine Warehouse with stores across the region

Public companies with a presence in Suffolk, Norfolk and North Essex offering the real Living Wage:

Signpost Colchester,

Chelmsford Council,

Ipswich Borough Council,

City College Norwich,

Colchester Borough Council,

Norwich City Council,

UEA Students’ Union,

Uttlesford District Council,

Cromer Town Council