Funding is being offered to employers across East Renfrewshire to help them pay the ‘real living wage.’ The real living wage is an independently calculated rate based on the cost of living and is paid voluntarily.

It is currently £10.90 per hour and is revised each year after an analysis of the wage that staff need to earn in order to afford a decent standard of living.

As well as helping employees financially, it has been seen to improve morale and motivation, which in turn reduces staff turnover and increases productivity.

There are currently 30 employers in East Renfrewshire, across the public, private and third sector, who have signed up to pay the real living wage.

These include East Renfrewshire Council and Neilston-based waste management specialists J&M Murdoch & Son Ltd.

Andrew Murdoch, the firm’s managing director, said: “We are a family-owned business and pride ourselves on our family values, which include paying our employees and contractors across the board a fair wage, especially in today’s climate of uncertainty.

“We are happy to be part of the accreditation scheme.”

Businesses can apply online to become a real living wage employer, with the council offering cash to cover the cost of accreditation for the first year through the Scottish Government’s Local Authority Covid-19 Economic Recovery Fund.

Councillor Danny Devlin, East Renfrewshire’s environment convener, said: “By paying a wage that accurately reflects the cost of living, we can help create a more just and compassionate society.”

For more details, visit scottishlivingwage.org.

To access the funding, call Business Gateway East Renfrewshire on 0141 530 2407 or send an email to laura.brown1@bgateway.com.