In April 2020 the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Shared Data Unit reported hundreds of thousands of key workers considered critical to the UKβs response to the coronavirus crisis were earning below the so-called βreal living wageβ.
The real living wage is a voluntary scheme devised by the Living Wage Foundation. It is calculated independently from the government and is based on costs such as food, clothing and household bills.
One in five UK employees earn below the Living Wage Foundation rates, including hundreds of thousands of key workers including hospital cleaners and porters, teaching assistants and carers.
The GMB union said the coronavirus crisis had shone a light on the βrock-bottom payβ of the people βexpected to risk their health to protect usβ.
Economists, however, urged against further wage rises before the full toll of the crisis was clear.
The Shared Data Unit makes data journalism available to news organisations across the media industry, as part of a partnership between the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ and the News Media Association. Stories generated by the partnership included:
- Manchester Evening News: 2 April 2020
- Metro: 2 April 2020
- The Irish News: 2 April 2020
- Sheffield: The Star: 2 April 2020
- The Inverness Courier: 2 April 2020
- Cambridgeshire Live: 2 April 2020
- Yorkshire Live: 2 April 2020
- MK Citizen: 2 April 2020
- Surrey Live: 2 April 2020
- The Bucks Herald: 2 April 2020
- Kent Live: 2 April 2020
- Essex: Yellow Advertiser: 2 April 2020
- Wales: Bro Radio: 2 April 2020
- Scotland: The Northern Times: 2 April 2020
- Peterborough Matters: 2 April 2020
- The Isle of Thanet News: 2 April 2020
- Strathspey & Badenoch Herald: 2 April 2020
- The London Economic: 2 April 2020
- Berkshire Live: 3 April 2020
- Edinburgh Live: 3 April 2020
- Eastern Daily Press: 3 April 2020
- Glasgow Live: 3 April 2020
- Northampton Chronicle & Echo: 3 April 2020
- Birmingham Live: 3 April 2020
- Yorkshire Evening Post: 3 April 2020
- Thurrock Nub News: 3 April 2020
- Lancashire Telegraph: 4 April 2020
- Rochdale Online: 4 April 2020
- This Is Lancashire: 4 April 2020
- The Bolton News: 4 April 2020
- Teesside Live: 5 April 2020
- My Welshpool: 5 April 2020
- Cornish Times: 5 April 2020
- My Newtown: 5 April 2020
- Nottinghamshire Live: 6 April 2020
- Hemel Today: 6 April 2020
- Coventry Live: 6 April 2020
- Weston Mercury: 7 April 2020
- Scotland: Daily Record: 8 April 2020
- Chichester Observer: 9 April 2020
- Worthing Herald: 9 April 2020
- Bristol Live: 11 April 2020
- Wirral Globe: 11 April 2020
- Lincolnshire Live: 12 April 2020
- Connect East Midlands: 12 April 2020
- Hastings & St Leonards Observer: 14 April 2020
- Sussex Express: 14 April 2020
- Eastbourne Herald: 14 April 2020
- Brighton & Hove Independent: 14 April 2020
- Scotland: Daily Record: 14 April 2020
- Halesowen News: 16 April 2020
- Worcester News: 16 April 2020
- Hereford Times: 16 April 2020
- Malvern Gazette: 16 April 2020
- Evesham Journal: 16 April 2020
- Greenock Telegraph: 23 April 2020
The story was also used by ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ News UK 21 April 2020
Visualisation
- Line chart: Percentage of employee jobs in the UK earning less than the Living Wage Foundation rates by year from 2014-19 (by nation)