The Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at Cloch HA, regardless of whether they are permanent employees receive a minimum hourly wage of £7.85 - significantly higher than the national minimum wage of £6.50. Cloch HA will encourage all third party contractors and suppliers to also adopt the accreditation.

The Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually. The Living Wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living using the ‘Minimum Income Standard’ for the UK. Decisions about what to include in this standard are set by the public; it is a social consensus about what people need to make ends meet.

“Times are difficult for many people, but those on the lowest pay are suffering the most,” said Monica Sheekey, chairperson of Cloch.

“Paying a living wage makes a huge difference to the individuals and their families and yet does not actually cost an employer much more. It is important as a socially responsible landlord and employer that we practice what we preach and also encourage our partners and other agencies to adopt the living wage commitment.”

Employers choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis. The Living Wage enjoys cross party support, in both the Scottish and Westminster parliaments.

Living Wage Foundation director, Rhys Moore, said: “We are delighted to welcome Cloch Housing Association to the Living Wage movement as an accredited employer.

“The best employers are voluntarily signing up to pay the Living Wage now. The Living Wage is a robust calculation that reflects the real cost of living, rewarding a hard day’s work with a fair day’s pay.

“We have accredited over 1,200 leading employers, including Cloch HA, ranging from independent printers, bookshops and breweries, to well-known companies such as Nationwide, Aviva and SSE. These businesses recognise that clinging to the national minimum wage is not good for business. Customers expect better than that.”

@ClochHA