The Living Wage commitment sees everyone who works for the Dalkeith-based Registered Social Landlord, both its 27 permanent employees and all third-party contractors, receive a real Living Wage of at least £8.75 per hour, which is significantly higher than the government minimum wage.

“We are delighted to be formally recognised as a Living Wage employer,” said Andrew Noble, chief executive of Melville Housing. “Ever since we were set up in 1995 we have had a commitment to treating all staff fairly and making sure that everyone who works for us is paid a fair wage. This award is formal recognition of that and an important statement to other employers, both locally and across Scotland, that all staff deserve a wage that reflects costs encountered in the real world.”

Tess Lanning, director, Living Wage Foundation, added: “We welcome Melville Housing to the Living Wage movement as an accredited employer. They join a movement of over 4,000 responsible, forward-thinking employers across the UK who have voluntarily signed up to pay the real Living Wage and go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.

“Our movement includes thousands of small businesses, as well as household names such as IKEA, Heathrow, Chelsea and Everton Football Clubs and many more. These businesses recognise that the Living Wage accreditation is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Melville Housing, join us because they believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”

The real Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually, and is calculated according to the real costs of living, based on a basket of standard household goods and services. The Living Wage enjoys cross-party political support and employers choose to pay the real Living Wage on a voluntary basis.