Good Things Foundation is the leading digital inclusion charity working at scale across the UK, helping excluded people gain the support and skills they need to improve their lives through digital. They work with thousands of local community partners to deliver access to the National Databank, the National Device Bank and free online courses on the Learn My Way platform. Here they talk about being one of the first accredited Living Pension Employers.
Earlier this year Good Things Foundation were over the moon to become one of the first Living Pension employers in the UK. As an organisation, it is paramount that our staff feel valued, secure and stable, and signing up to the Living Wage Foundation’s new Living Pension standard will help us to achieve this.
The Living Pension is the Living Wage Foundation’s new accreditation for employers who want to help workers build a pension pot that meets living costs in retirement. The Living Pension savings target is 12% of a full time Living Wage worker’s salary, of which the employer pays in at least 7%. This builds on auto-enrolment, where the employer is only required to contribute 3%. The Living Pension savings target can also be implemented as a cash amount of £2,550 a year. The employer contributes at least £1,488 to this cash amount. The Living Pension builds on the Living Wage by providing workers with stability and security now and in the future.
The introduction of the Living Pension has acted as a catalyst in getting our staff more engaged in their retirement planning. It has made them question how much they need to be saving now to provide the retirement they want. It has also made staff aware of how low the auto enrolment rates are at 8%, compared with the Living Pension rate of 12%. Now, Good Things employees know where to find information, tools and support that is available to them.
Adam Barlow, Assistant Director of Finance at Good Things Foundation, said:
“At Good Things Foundation, we are very proud to have signed up to a Living Pension, as we want to provide security and stability for our amazing staff not just now, but in the future. We believe it’s important to ensure our staff receive a pension that meets the real cost of living and delivering the Living Pension truly demonstrates our position as a caring employer with a market-leading offer.”
Hannah Faver, a member of staff at Good Things Foundation said:
“With all the uncertainty of the last few years, having an employer dedicated to your future feels very important. We've all seen how quickly times can change, and who knows what the future might bring, but out of all the things I could worry about at least I don't have to worry about that. In a world where you hear about a lot of things being taken away, or workers having to fight for basic rights, to have a company actively work for you feels progressive.”
The National Device Bank is an initiative that’s helping digitally excluded people access technology across the UK. It accepts donations of used corporate IT equipment, refurbishing and distributing the donated tech to people who can’t afford or access their own devices. This means less devices in landfill, and more in the hands of people who need them to access the internet, an essential lifeline connecting us to everyday life. Reconome, a fully GDPR compliant B Corp business that aims to extend the life of technology by refurbishing devices, securely collect and professionally data wipe all donated IT equipment. Secure, sustainable and socially responsible, the National Device Bank is a brilliant free solution for organisations who have technology to recycle or dispose of. By donating, you’ll be helping people and the planet. Learn more about donating to the National Device Bank