Fewer Scots earn below real living wage than UK counterparts

Fewer workers in Scotland earn below the real living wage compared with their counterparts in the rest of the UK, statistics have revealed.

Figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) revealed that just 9% of employees in Scotland earn less than £9.90 per hour.

The real living wage has since been increased to £10.90.

Meanwhile, an average of 12.2% of workers across Britain do not earn the real living wage, with 11.8% in Wales, 12.5% in England and 14.6% in Northern Ireland.

SNP MSP Bob Doris welcomed the data but noted that more work is needed to increase the number of workers receiving the real living wage.

The number of workers in Scotland earning the increased rate sits at 91%, according to the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.

It is an increase from 85.5% in 2021 and the highest proportion since the survey began in 2012.

Mr Doris said: “These figures show how Scotland is already leading the way in ensuring ensuring that workers across the country receive fair pay, but we can do more to build a fairer, more equal Scotland as an independent country.

“Workers across Scotland are facing one of the most difficult winters in living memory with the rising Tory cost-of-living crisis meaning everyone is forced to tighten their belts over the festive period.

“That is why it is very encouraging to see that workers across Scotland will have a bit extra in their pockets.

“Although the figures are encouraging, there is more work to be done and I would ask all employers to pay their employees not just the minimum wage but the living wage so their employees have a better standard of living.

“Wage packets are seeing an incredible squeeze this year because of the Tory cost-of-living crisis and the only way Scotland can escape and build a fairer, more equal country is with independence.”