University of Cambridge accredits with Living Wage Foundation

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY GAINS REAL LIVING WAGE ACCREDITATION

The University of Cambridge has today been accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Their Living Wage commitment will see everyone working for the university receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.50 in the UK or £10.85 in London. Both rates are significantly higher than the government minimum for over 25s, which currently stands at £8.72 per hour.

The University of Cambridge is based in the East of England, a region where over a fifth of all jobs (19%) pay less than the real Living Wage - around 448,000 jobs. Despite this, Cambridge University has committed to pay the real Living Wage. The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers who wish to ensure their staff earn a wage they can live on, not just the government minimum. Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 250,000 people and put over £1.3 billion extra into the pockets of low paid workers.

Eilís Ferran, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, University of Cambridge said: "University of Cambridge staff are at the heart of everything we do as one of the world's top global research-intensive universities. We are delighted to have been given accreditation as a Living Wage Employer, ensuring wages will never be lower than the independent benchmark set by the Living Wage Foundation."

Laura Gardiner, Director, Living Wage Foundation said: "We're delighted that the University of Cambridge has joined the movement of 7,000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on. In this difficult time, their commitment will help to give their staff the additional support they need to better support themselves and their families. "They join thousands of small businesses, as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays, Chelsea and Everton Football Clubs and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Cambridge University, believe that a hard day's work deserves a fair day's pay."