Marks And Spencer Raises Its Minimum Rate Of Pay To Help With Cost Of Living Crisis

Marks & Spencer is upping its minimum pay and offering free health checks for staff as the cost of living is set to rise.

With hikes in National Insurance and energy bills on the horizon, the supermarket's lowest-paid staff will see their salaries increase from April.

Alamy

M&S will pay staff £10 an hour, more than the £9.50 legal minimum wage for workers who are 23 and over, which also comes into effect in April. 

Alongside the 50p base pay increase for UK staff, workers in M&S London branches will see their pay increased from £10.75 to £11.25. 

In total, M&S has said more than 40,000 of its staff will see their pay increased from the beginning of April. 

Steve Rowe, the chief executive of M&S, said: “The contribution our teams have made to support our customers and each other every day through some really challenging times has been remarkable.

"By once again increasing our investment into one of the best all-round reward offers for store colleagues across retail, we’re making sure that every colleague, whatever they do and wherever they work, is properly rewarded and supported at M&S.”

As well as the boost to pay packets, M&S will also be introducing health check screenings, access to an online GP and financial management advice. 

The rise in pay comes as the cost of living increases in April, with National Insurance rising 1.25 percentage points, which means an increase of 12 percent for those earning between £797 to £4,189 a month and two percent for those who earn more than £4,189 a month. 

Alamy

Meanwhile energy bills will increase by 54 percent - leaving many people worried about how they’re going to pay their bills. 

Labour shortages across hospitality and retail have seen many companies raising their minimum rates of pay, the Guardian reports. 

Back in January, Sainsbury’s announced it would be paying its lowest paid workers £10 an hour.

Aldi also introduced £10.57 minimum hourly rates for shop workers (up from £9.55) and £11.32 in Greater London (up from £11.07).

In hospitality, Pret a Manger has raised its hourly pay from a minimum of £9.40 to £9.80 - with most of its staff actually earning at least £10 an hour.