Club recognised for commitment to fair pay for all staff
Luton Town Football Club are proud to announce that they have been awarded full accreditation as a Living Wage employer by the Living Wage Foundation.
The Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at Luton Town Football Club, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors and suppliers; receive a minimum hourly wage of £7.85 - significantly higher than the national minimum wage of £6.50. The Hatters were the first team in the English League to commit to paying the Living Wage when they made their announcement last December, shortly followed by Chelsea in the Premier League.
The Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually. It is calculated according to the basic cost of living using the ‘Minimum Income Standard’ for the UK. Decisions about what to include in this standard are set by the public; it is a social consensus about what people need to make ends meet.
"When we made our announcement in December that we had committed to paying the living wage, we were extremely proud to become the first professional Club in the Football League to make this step. All contracted members of staff have been paid the living wage since then.
We're delighted to have been given full accreditation which will help ensure a fair level of pay enabling a better work-life balance to all our staff. We hope that in making this commitment, other teams, especially those further up the football pyramid with far bigger budgets than ours will follow suit." said Hatters Chief Exectutive Gary Sweet.
“This announcement, along with our support for the Luton Foodbank and our recent initiative to rename Kenilworth Road as the ‘Prostate Cancer UK Stadium” for our match against Wycombe helps to demonstrate that as a Club, we understand the important part we play in the local community”, he added.
Employers choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis. The Living Wage enjoys cross party support, with public backing from the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
Gavin Shuker, Labour and Cooperative MP for Luton South said: “I’d like to congratulate Luton Town Football Club on their full accreditation by the Living Wage Foundation. Once again the Club are showing their commitment to the community of Luton, and by leading the way in professional football by paying a fair rate of pay to all of their staff. I would encourage any business to follow their lead in adopting the living wage - a move which can make a real difference to their employees”.
Rhys Moore, director, Living Wage Foundation said: "We are delighted to welcome Luton Town FC to the Living Wage movement as an accredited Living Wage employer. It has been a pleasure working with Luton Town to reach this stage. Their commitment to the Living Wage is clear, and I'm sure they will be a champion of the Living Wage across the football and sports sector, as well as in their local community.
"At a time when over half of those living in poverty are also working, the Living Wage is one way leading employers are helping to tackle in-work poverty.
"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."
To find out more about the work of the Living Wage Foundation, visit their website.