Living Wage Boost For Civil Servants

Public sector workers are set to benefit from an increase in the Living Wage.

It's after the Scottish government pledged to match pay to the cost of living.

Almost 650 civil servants get the non-legally binding rate - which now rests at £7.85 an hour.

Commenting, SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald said:

“The rise in the living wage will see hundreds of public sector staff in Scotland receive a welcome increase in their pay in the coming year.

“The Scottish Government has taken a strong lead when it comes to ensuring staff are paid a fair wage for their work, by ensuring that every employee it has responsibility for receives at least the living wage.

“The Scottish Government’s commitment to the living wage only underlines why decisions over the minimum wage should be made in Scotland.

“With powers over the minimum wage we could do more to tackle low pay by ensuring that it rises at least in line with inflation.

“It is only with a strong team of SNP MPs that we can secure this kind of responsibility for Scotland and ensure that Scotland can take a fairer approach to low pay.”