In our line of work, we understand that rising living costs and low incomes trap people in precarious situations. That’s why St Petrocs has had a long history of ensuring staff receive a fair rate of pay that enables them to meet the real cost of living.

In May 2023, we decided to turn that custom into a public commitment to our staff by signing up to become a Living Wage accredited employer. This means everyone working at St Petrocs will receive a minimum hourly wage of £10.90 – higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £10.42 per hour.

Tom Beaumont, Associate Director of People & Culture said, “We have always been committed to fair pay and transparent pay processes across the organisation. That’s why we ensure all our job vacancies clearly advertise the salary, and it’s why we voluntarily report on our gender, disability and ethnicity pay gaps too. Becoming a Living Wage accredited employer is a further demonstration of that same commitment to fairness.”

For our staff, the benefits are clear. We are all at our best when we feel supported, happy, and healthy – and financial stability is a critical pillar in everyone’s wellbeing. By committing to the Living Wage, we’re helping our staff to feel secure and in control, knowing they can pay the bills today, deal with the unexpected, and are on track towards a healthy financial future. 

We’re convinced that partnering with the Living Wage Foundation will have a positive impact on the people we work with too. Employment can – and should – be a route out of the cycle of homelessness, but the pressure of in-work poverty is very real for many people in Cornwall. By becoming accredited, we join a movement of businesses, organisations and individuals who campaign for the simple idea that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. We share their vision of a society where in-work poverty no longer exists, because it is inextricably linked with our mission to end homelessness in Cornwall.

The Living Wage movement has benefited hundreds of thousands of families by enabling them to earn a wage they can live on. Since it began, it has delivered a pay rise to over 350,000 people and put over £2 billion extra into the pockets of low paid workers.

You can find St Petrocs and other organisations who pay the Living Wage HERE