The Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at HHP, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors; receive a real Living Wage of at least £8.45 per hour, which is significantly higher than government minimum wage of £6.70 and the new minimum wage premium for over 25s of £7.50 per hour introduced this April.

Full time employees earning the real Living Wage earn up to £2,000 per year more than those on the government minimum.

The real Living Wage is an hourly rate, calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation and overseen by the Living Wage Commission, based on the best available evidence on living standards in the UK.

Employers choose to pay the real Living Wage on a voluntary basis.

Calum Mackay, Hebridean Housing Partnership’s vice chair, said: “We are delighted to receive the accreditation for the Living Wage, HHP Board have always valued the employees recognizing the importance of the work they do in building a solid business to achieve the goals for our tenants.

“This accreditation from the Poverty Alliance and the Living Wage Foundation show that HHP are committed to eradicating low pay now and for the future.”

Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance, said: “We are delighted to congratulate Hebridean Housing Partnership on becoming a Living Wage employer. Paying the real Living Wage makes a huge difference to people’s lives, and employers can enjoy a range of business benefits too, including increased productivity, staff retention and lower rates of absenteeism.

“The real Living Wage is a key tool at our disposal to reduce levels of in-work poverty in Scotland. I hope to see more employers across the Housing sector take the lead in wider action by committing to the real Living Wage.”