A PR firm with bases in Cumbria, Newcastle, and Liverpool has signed up to the Living Wage Foundation.

The move sees 32West join businesses such as Ikea, The Cumberland, and Oxfam in the commitment to pay staff and contractors a minimum salary higher than government’s national minimum wage.

The current rate is £10.90, rising to £11.95 for London to reflect increased living costs in the capital.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt announced the Real Living Wage will increase to at least £11 an hour from April, up from the current £10.42.

Frank Stretton, a director at 32West, said: “This shows our investment in our people and that we are committed to making 32West a great place to work. 

"With the cost of living crisis it’s even more important to us that our whole team is supported fully at work, which includes a fair wage and benefits package.

“Traditionally, companies who sign up to pay the living wage generally commit to do this for their directly employed members of staff. However, we’ve decided to do this for our carefully selected associates as we feel that it’s fair and appropriate.

“We invest in our staff – they work hard for us, and in turn we support them whenever we can."

Living Wage Foundation’s accredited employers now include 32West, which specialises in creating engaging campaigns and content to help diverse sector businesses tell their stories.

For more information about the Living Wage Foundation, visit https://www.livingwage.org.uk/.