Helm commits to Living Wage
Helm Housing has become the largest housing association in Northern Ireland to be accredited as a Living Wage employer by the Living Wage Foundation.
Helm has introduced the Living Wage on a voluntary basis, ensuring that more than 135 employees are paid in accordance with the ‘Minimum Income Standard’.
Adhering to the Living Wage standard commits an employer to a fair rate of pay, which is independently set and is linked to the basic cost of living. Every Helm employee, whether they are permanent, part-time or third-party contractors, are guaranteed a minimum hourly wage of £8.25 - a significantly higher rate than both the current and new minimum wage for over 25s which stands at £6.70 and £7.20 respectively.
“We believe it is vital to invest in our staff and to help create a happy workforce,” said Helm CEO John McPeake.
“At Helm Housing, committing to the Living Wage for all our employees is just one way we aim to promote this and we are proud to be only the second and the largest Housing Association in Northern Ireland to do so.
“We appreciate the hard work that our team puts in every day and we hope other associations and organisations will follow our example to ensure that housing sector employees are given the rewards they deserve.”