Jersey enhanced living wage to rise in 2023

The charity has raised its living wage by 92p

Campaigners hope more companies in Jersey will sign up to pay their staff a enhanced living wage.

The charity Caritas Jersey, licensed by the Living Wage Foundation in the UK, has raised the rate from £11.27 to £12.19 per hour for 2023.

The government raised the current minimum wage for people in Jersey to £10.50 per hour in November.

The charity said companies who signed up as Living Wage employers would help "play a part in eradicating poverty".

Caritas Jersey CEO Patrick Lynch said the increased rate would acknowledge the "true cost of living in Jersey".

He said: "The Living Wage Campaign is focused on lifting the wages of the lowest paid in our community, who frequently work long and unsociable hours or take extra jobs just to survive.

"We have seen a growing appetite in Jersey to do business ethically and to recognise and value the contribution of all employees as witnessed by a record number of Living Wage accreditations this year."

Multiple restaurant owner in the island Dominic Jones said companies should abide by the increase.

He said: "It is definitely a challenge but it's absolutely feasible... how can we have people living in a wealthy island not able to afford and receive a living wage?

"There is significant pressure on households in terms of their incomes due to inflation... many people work well over 40/50 hours a week to enable themselves to live and we think that it's right and proper for employers to look to adopt the living wage."

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