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John Lewis has announced that shop floor workers across John Lewis and Waitrose, which the company calls ‘partners’, will receive a 6.9% hourly pay increase, with minimum hourly rates climbing to £13.25 UK-wide and £14.80 within the M25.
For a full-time staffer, the move would result in an extra £1,600 per year. Employees who gain enhanced skills and adopt specialist roles will be entitled to rate increases of £14.31 per hour, growing to £15.98 within the M25.
This comes as the department store chain has promised a £108m investment in pay, which it said is 90% voluntary and goes beyond National Minimum Wage requirements.
In the three years leading up to 2026, the company expanded its pay budget by nearly £300m.
John Lewis said that on top of standard pay, its workers receive substantial discounts at John Lewis and Waitrose, a pension contribution of up to 12%, knocked-down prices in its UK hotels, £275 towards leisure activities such as theatre and live events, subsidised meals and wellbeing options such as self-referral to physiotherapy and counselling.
Helen Webb, chief people officer for the John Lewis Partnership, said: “Our partners are the heartbeat of our business. This £108m investment is about putting more money into their pockets month-in, month-out.
“This pay growth demonstrates a sustained commitment to partner pay, consistent with previous years. This ensures that the rewards for our partners’ hard work are built into their monthly pay as we continue to invest in the future of the partnership.”
