M&S customer assistants in London-based stores will see their pay increase to £14.74 from April (Image: Getty)
Marks and Spencer is introducing a new £14 rule in select UK stores from April in a huge boost for its workers.
As of April 1, M&S customer assistants working in London-based stores will see their pay increase by 6.4% to £14.74 per hour – a rise of more than double the current rate of inflation. Around 55,000 retail workers based in M&S stores outside of London will also benefit from a 6.4% pay boost from next month, taking their hourly pay to at least £13.41. The increase represents an increase of £132 per month, or £1,587 per year more compared to 2025.
Marks and Spencer has invested more than £350 million in workers’ pay in the last four years – equivalent to an increase of more than 34% for staff – and the latest pay rise marks a “significant investment” in store colleagues for the coming year.
Read More: Older state pensioners can cut TV Licence bill to £0 in 16 minutes
Read More: The 3 State Pension changes hitting bank accounts from April
The retailer also offers its staff a number of benefits including an uncapped market-leading 20% discount across all M&S branded food and fashion, home and beauty products, alongside a Sharesave scheme and pension contributions of up to 12% to help workers save for the future.
Together, Marks and Spencer’s newly increased base pay and benefits package could be worth up to £16.33 per hour.
Stuart Machin, M&S Chief Executive said: “Our store colleagues are at the heart of our business, welcoming and serving our customers every day and it is important that we invest in them and their pay.
“This is a good cost and I am pleased that we have been able to make this inflation beating pay award, alongside our leading package of benefits.
“This investment reflects the central role our people play as we reshape M&S for growth. As always I thank our colleagues for their continued hard work and commitment. »
The April pay boost sees the retailer offering rates above the national minimum wage, which is rising to £12.71 per hour for UK workers aged 21 and over from April 1.
But M&S is no longer offering pay in line with the real living wage, which is a voluntary benchmark, designed to be calculated on the real cost of living, and is currently set at £13.45 per hour in the UK and £14.80 in London.
*** Ensure our latest news headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings. ***
Shareholder activists ShareAction has called on M&S to reinstate its pay in line with the real living wage, which it said was “vital for workers’ livelihoods”.
Louise Eldridge, head of good work at ShareAction, said: “With more people struggling to cover basics, it’s worrying to see another major supermarket step back from the only independent benchmark on what people need to take home to meet the cost of living, save for the future, and enjoy their free time.
“This is vital for workers’ livelihoods and it’s good for business, with all kinds of proven benefits including reducing turnover and attracting higher quality talent.
“We’re urging M&S – and the wider sector – to consider restoring full alignment with the real living wage in London and across the UK.”
Source link
