MCG Healthcare has become one the first healthcare recruitment agencies to be accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Our Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at MCG Healthcare, Poppy Nursing or Staffaid 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 23s, which currently stands at £8.91 per hour.
The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that 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.
“The last 18 months has put our healthcare industry under the spotlight and reaffirmed to the nation why this is such an essential sector,” says Ash Higgs, managing director, MCG Healthcare. “The pandemic has attracted many new recruits but this vital work must be more valued and better paid to retain staff. By us becoming Living Wage accredited, I hope we’re leading the way in healthcare to set a benchmark to enable staff to earn a wage which meets everyday needs – like the weekly shop, or a surprise trip to the dentist.”
Laura Gardiner, director, Living Wage Foundation said: “We’re delighted that MCG Healthcare has joined the movement of over 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.
“They join thousands of small businesses, as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays, Everton Football Club and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like MCG Healthcare, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”
