Lidl announces pay rise for 20,000 employees as supermarket advertises 700 job vacancies

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Lidl is among a number of well-known supermarkets to have made changes in response to the coronavirus crisis. Today, however, it’s a change to the amount hourly-paid colleagues can earn which has been announced.

Following the 2020/21 “real Living Wage” rates being announced by the Living Wage Foundation yesterday, Lidl is set to up the amount the retailer pays.

Entry-level wages will now increase from £9.30 to £9.50 per hour for those working in stores outside of London.

It will increase from £10.75 to £10.85 for people within the M25.

The pay rise is set to directly benefit more than 20,000 Lidl employees.

This represents more than 80 percent of the company’s workforce across Britain.

The move equates to a commitment of an additional £8million to colleagues.

Following the pay rise, Lidl’s front-line employees will benefit from a minimum of 78 pence more than the current government National Living Wage (the national minimum wage for over 25s) of £8.72 per hour.

Meanwhile, it marks a £2.13 difference for those within the M25.

Christian Härtnagel, CEO at Lidl GB, said: “It is only right that we increase the income for our colleagues who are the backbone of our business.

“This is about recognising their hard work and dedication in keeping the nation fed during a year like no other.

“They have served our customers through extremely challenging times and we will always be there to support them in return.”

The new rates, which will align with the rates advocated by the Living Wage Foundation, will come into effect from March 2021 – which is when the supermarket’s new financial year begins.

The rise comes amid Lidl continuing to open new stores across the country.

The supermarket is hiring members of staff, with the retailer saying it currently this month has 700 vacancies.

Despite millions of Britons feeling the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Lidl has continued to operate, with no one being put on the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough scheme).

The “real Living Wage” is a rate which is voluntarily paid by nearly 7,000 UK businesses.

The rates are voluntary rather than statutory, and following the increase, more than 250,000 people are set for a boost to their pay.

According to Living Wage Foundation research, 5.5 million employees – or a fifth of employees – are still paid under the “real Living Wage”.

Laura Gardiner, Living Wage Foundation Director, said: “It’s an incredibly challenging time for us all, but today’s new Living Wage rates will give a boost to hundreds of thousands of UK workers, including thousands of key and essential workers like cleaners, care workers, and delivery drivers who have kept our economy going.

“Since the start of the pandemic employers have continued to sign up to a real Living Wage.

“During Living Wage Week it’s right that we celebrate those employers that have done right by workers and families, providing them with much needed security and stability even when times are hard.

“These are the employers that will allow us to recover and rebuild from this crisis.”

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