The lowest paid staff at Ipswich Borough Council will receive the new Living Wage rate of £8.45 an hour from next spring.

The council confirmed yesterday that its employees, and contracted staff, will get the new voluntary rate, announced by the Living Wage Foundation, from April 1, 2017.

A compulsory National Living Wage became law last April, with all workers aged 25 and over entitled to pay of at least £7.20 a hour, but the borough council, as an accredited Living Wage employer, goes further.

Council leader David Ellesmere said: “The council believes a fair wage is not only good for employees and their families, it benefits the local economy too.”

Mark Emms, regional manager at Norse, which employs the council’s contract cleaning staff, added: “Through Ipswich Borough Council’s implementation of the Living Wage, Norse have seen a reduction in both staff sickness and staff turnover rates to well below the industry standard. This has allowed Norse to pass on a saving to IBC in both managers’ time and recruitment costs.”

Yesterday’s announcement by the council came at the start of Living Wage Week, a national celebration of the Living Wage and Live Wage Employers which runs until Saturday, November 5.