London’s hospitality workers paid below living wage, report finds
The Living Wage campaign was born to ensure that workers are paid a wage that reflects the current cost of living
New analysis by the Living Wage Foundation shows that the hospitality sector has the highest proportions of low-paid jobs in London compared to other industries, with 52.9% of jobs that fall under ‘Accommodation and food services’ being paid below the London Living Wage, which currently stands at £11.95.
With over 100,000 low paid jobs, this sector accounts for almost a fifth of all low paid jobs in London, despite accounting for 5% of total jobs in the capital.
The new analysis also showed that the issue of low pay seems to disproportionately affect young workers aged between 18-21, with 62.8% being paid below the London Living Wage.
The UK hospitality sector comprises approximately 143,000 businesses and employs around 1.8 million people. As the cost of living crisis continues, many workers across the country are among those in the capital being hit the hardest.
The Making London a Living Wage City project, led by Citizens UK and the Living Wage Foundation, aims to put hundreds of millions of pounds of wages into the pockets of Londoners and lift tens of thousands of workers out of in-work poverty by boosting the number of accredited Living Wage and Living Hours employers across the capital.
The Living Wage campaign is rooted in communities taking action to ensure workers are paid a wage that reflects the cost of living. But despite the growth of the movement, low pay remains a big issue, with 13.6% of jobs in London paying less than the real Living Wage.
Gina Rodriguez, leader of the Making London a Living Wage City Steering Group, said: “With the cost of living crisis, too many low paid workers are now having to worry about whether they can afford to turn the heating on during winter, or if they’ll be able to afford groceries. I know the feeling all too well when I was working in hospitality. As the lowest paid sector in London, hospitality employers must step up and accredit with the Living Wage Foundation to dignify their workers with a wage they can live off.”
