BOLTON at Home has put its money where its mouth is.

The social housing group is not only backing a campaign aiming to tackle low pay — it also pays its staff £7.20 an hour or more, compared with the £6.08 hourly rate for the national minimum wage.

Bolton TUC, whose member unions represent staff in public and private sector organisations, has welcomed the announcement and hopes the trend will spread across the borough.

The national minimum wage was introduced in 1998 and guarantees low- paid employees a minimum hourly rate of pay.

The rates are £6.08 for workers aged 21 and over, £4.98 for 18 to 20-year-olds, £3.68 for 16 to 17-year olds, and £2.60 for all apprentices under 19 and those older during their first year.

However, The Living Wage Foundation, which has the backing of trade unions and anti-poverty campaigners, argues these minimum rates are too low and calls for employers to guarantee a living wage of £7.20 per hour across the UK and £8.30 in London.

Jon Lord, chief executive of Bolton at Home, said: “We’re delighted Bolton at Home can lead the way on this issue.

“We strive to be a progressive and forward thinking employer and work in partnership with the trade unions.

“We already pay our staff over and above the £7.20 an hour rate. We will continue to guarantee to pay our staff a living wage, but we will also ask our partners and contractors to do the same.”

Janet Bryan, a Unison trade union convenor for Bolton at Home, added: “Unison is committed to tackling low pay and fully supports the campaign for the Living Wage.

“We’re really pleased to see Bolton at Home is the first local employer to be accredited as paying a minimum of £7.20 an hour. We’re hoping other employers across the town will now begin to follow this example.”

Living Wage employers ensure all staff are paid at least the living wage.

These include those who work on a regular basis for a sub-contractor, such as cleaners or security staff.

However the deal does not cover apprentices and interns. Living Wage employers say the benefits are improved staff morale, lower staff turnover, less absenteeism, increased productivity and better customer service.

Dr Brian Sloan, chief economist at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, said: “Employers aim to pay an appropriate wage according to market forces.

“In isolation, a minimum wage presents no problems because every business is facing the same minimum charge for labour. However, raising the minimum can hit competitiveness, jobs creation and growth.”

Employers in London who pay the Living Wage are jointly estimated to have lifted more than 10,000 working families out of poverty.

For more details visit livingwage.org.uk