The foundation announced that as of today there are 2,000 accredited living wage employers paying their staff at least £8.25 per hour.
This rate is above the national minimum wage of £6.70 per hour and the Government’s National Living Wage rate of £7.20 for over-25s that will come into force in April 2016.
Unilever, Richer Sounds and Lloyds Banking Group are amongst the companies signing up to the voluntary rate today.
Tim Munden, HR director at Unilever UK, said: “As a company committed to making sustainable living commonplace we believe it is right to raise the floor on wages. That is why we have been committed to paying our UK employees at least a living wage for some time.
“We are therefore delighted to take this next natural step in gaining accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation; it underlines our commitment to a living wage approach across our supply chain and it will ensure that hundreds more people working with us will be paid the Living Wage by the end of next year.”
The announcement today will see a pay rise for approximately 68,000 staff. A new London Living Wage rate is expected to be announced by Mayor of London, Boris Johnson later today.
Sarah Vero, director of the Living Wage Foundation, said: "Today we are celebrating those 2,000 responsible businesses that are voluntarily paying the Living Wage to their staff. These employers are not waiting for Government to tell them what to do; their actions are helping to end the injustice that is in-work poverty in the UK now. The Living Wage campaign is growing at pace.
“Today more UK businesses are announcing their Living Wage accreditation and they join a growing list of organisations ranging from FTSE 100 companies to independent businesses, SMEs and third sector employers who all share our belief that work should be the surest way out of poverty. The Living Wage is good for people and for business."