Increase in pay rate for Amazon

Retail giant Amazon is to increase its minimum wage to £9.50 an hour for the UK, the company has announced – with a £10.50 rate in London.

The new rates will lift pay by up to 28 per cent in the London area and 18.8 per cent elsewhere, and will benefit more than 17,000 permanent workers and 20,000 seasonal staff, said Amazon.

The company said workers will continue to receive benefits including paid breaks, private medical insurance and help with training fees.

But a share scheme will be phased out and replaced with a “direct stock purchase plan” before the end of 2019.

“We’re excited to announce Amazon is raising our minimum wage for all full-time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary UK employees, effective from 1 November,” said Doug Gurr, Amazon vice-president and UK country manager.

“This will impact more than 37,000 employees across the country, resulting in higher pay for them and their families.”

The statutory living wage for adults is currently £7.83 an hour, while the voluntary “real” living wage is £10.20 an hour in London and £8.75across the rest of the UK