First parish agrees to pay Living Wage

Wednesday 16 February 2022

The Parish of St. Helier has become the first parish to agree to pay the Living Wage to its more than 200 employees.

The Living Wage takes into account the wider cost of living in the island, with the aim of ensuring employees are able to live with dignity.

The rate for 2022 is £11.27 per hour, and is reviewed annually, with accredited businesses having six months to implement the new rate from 1 January each year.

Jersey's most populous parish, St. Helier, has become the first of the island's 12 to agree to pay the Living Wage - something Campaign Team Leader Jennifer Bridge said signals that St. Helier "values those that work for the Parish as all staff and contractors are paid at least the Living Wage."

The Connétable of St. Helier, Simon Crowcroft, commented: "We are delighted to be the first Parish in Jersey to achieve the Jersey Living Wage Accreditation. The Parish of St. Helier directly employs over 220 permanent colleagues in a wide range of sectors including community, care and childcare."

He continued: "Achieving the accreditation is important to us as it is calculated according to the real costs of living, based on a basket of household goods and services. We believe that work should be rewarded by a level of pay that can provide a basic standard of living and to allow people to provide for themselves and their families. We feel that accreditation allows us to demonstrate our commitment to paying a fair wage to all staff: employees and contractors.

"Achieving the accreditation demonstrates the Parish of St. Helier's commitment to its employees and the Parish's aims in respect of engagement with the local community. We aim to continue to be an employer of choice, by paying a fair wage we hope to continue attracting and retain the best people to support our strategy, so that St Helier is a vibrant, safe, engaging and attractive Parish where people choose to live, work and visit."

Patrick Lynch, the CEO of Caritas Jersey, which is licensed to run the Living Wage Campaign on the island, said he hopes other parishes follow suit.

"It is wonderful that the Parish of St. Helier has become the first Parish to become accredited. Caritas is hugely pleased with the recent surge in interest in our Living Wage Campaign and our work to lift people out of poverty by ensuring they receive a Living Wage," he commented.

"We look forward to working with the other island Parishes with the hope that they will follow St. Helier and become accredited as Living Wage employers."