Lush raises staff pay in line with Living Wage Foundation

Lush Cosmetics has increased wages for staff in the UK this month as an accredited Living Wage Foundation employer. 

The real living wage, according to the foundation and based on the true cost of living, is £10.90 per hour in the UK, and £11.95 per hour in London for all of those aged 18 and over.

This is compared to the national living wage which currently stands at £10.18 per hour for people aged under 23 and £10.42 per hour for those aged over 23. 

While the foundation has factored in the cost of living for London, there is no increase for the capital under the national living wage. 

Chloe, a sales assistant at Lush, said: “I have worked for Lush and earned the real living wage for almost six years, since the age of 16. The extra income has allowed me to afford things that others my age have struggled to, including buying a car and moving out of my parents’ house. 

“Earning the real living wage has also allowed me to go to university and live comfortably while training to be a paramedic. It’s vital that people are paid in line with the cost of living, so that they can live comfortably without worries.” 

Amid the cost of living crisis, Kim Coles, the retailer’s finance director, has emphasised the growing importance of paying the living wage.

Coles said: “Lush staff making and selling our products are crucial to our success and we continue to commit to the rate to ensure that, as the cost of living continues to rise, we can be confident that our rates of pay are fair and that our staff can afford what they need to thrive, not just to survive.”

Lush was awarded ‘Industry Trailblazer’ for paying the real living wage at the ‘Living Wage Foundation Champion Awards 2022’, following 10 years of paying staff the real living wage in the UK.