Amazon’s UK workers get bumper 18pc pay increase

TENS of thousands of Amazon’s British workers are to be handed a pay rise after it bowed to criticism over low wages.

The online retailer said its staff in London would receive a minimum of £10.50 an hour from November 1, with those outside the capital earning at least £9.50 per hour.

It means some 37,000 will receive an increase of at least 18.8pc, the company said. In the US Amazon is also increasing its lowest wage to $15 (£11.50) per hour.

The pay rise follows criticism of pay and ‘horrendous’ working conditions at the firm’s warehouses.

Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s boss and the world’s richest man, said: ‘We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead.’

Under the changes, a share scheme will be phased out and replaced with a stock purchase plan, Amazon added.

Tim Roache, GMB general secretary, said: ‘I’m glad Amazon has heeded GMB union’s long-standing calls to pay people, at the very least, the minimum they need to live. Though given their owner is the richest man in the world you’d think he could see fit to dig a little deeper – but it’s a start.’

The statutory living wage for adults is £7.83 an hour, while rates recommended by the Living Wage Foundation are £10.20 per hour in London and £8.75 outside the capital.