Charisa Bossinakis
A boss has given all his 431 employees a handsome pay rise to help them afford Britain’s sky-rocketing energy bills.
The Daily Mail reports that 4Com’s managing director Daron Hutt generously gave staff a £200 (AUD $343 or USD $236) monthly pay increase to address the inflation many of his employees were battling with.
He said: “We can help offset some of the price rises that are clearly coming. Thanks to that growth, we’re in a position where we can help offset some of the price rises that are clearly coming.
"What we are putting into place, effective immediately, is an Energy Support Bonus, whereby each and every person in the company will receive an increase of £200 a month in their payslips until further notice."
As energy prices continue to rise, Mr Hutt said he knew he wanted to do something as the situation was ‘crystallising’.
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Chief Executive Gary Scutt also cited the company’s impressive growth for enabling them to provide the hefty bonus.
He said: “Our priority with our Energy Support Bonus is supporting the team we’ve built here over the years — they’re our most valuable asset.
“We are continuing to grow with over 50 roles available and this bonus will be extended to all joining.”
While the pay rise will help employees with their crippling bills, Cornwall Insight predicted last month that energy bills would continue to spike above £2,000 (AUD $3,434 or USD $2,363).
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Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February that elicited Western sanctions has resulted in the drop in Moscow's oil and natural gas exports, which are pushing prices sky-high in Europe.
According to analysts who told CNN Business, Brits have faced the brunt of these prices, even outpacing countries like France, Germany and Italy.
Last week, leaders of the UK National Health Service (NHS) also warned of a ‘humanitarian crisis’ unfolding that could even set health equality back by decades, according to The Guardian.
Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health in Gateshead, said: “The stress and anxiety of poverty can have such a long-term effect.
“This is our next public health crisis. If nothing is done, it would set public health back by decades.”
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NHS Confederation chief executive Matthew Taylor added: “The country is facing a humanitarian crisis.
"Many people could face the awful choice between skipping meals to heat their homes and having to live in cold, damp and very unpleasant conditions."