WHAT IS THE SNP POLICY ON THE MINIMUM WAGE AND LIVING WAGE?

Minimum Wage policy is reserved to Westminster. We want all employment powers to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament but until then, we will use all our current powers to raise wages in Scotland.

Scotland already has the highest proportion of employees paid the real Living Wage of any country in the UK. To raise this higher still, we are promoting the real Living Wage in all sectors: since 2016 the number accredited employers in Scotland has increased from 500 to over 1,200. We're leading the UK, with more than a quarter of accredited real Living Wage employers in the UK based in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is leading by example by paying their staff, including NHS staff, the real Living Wage. We have also provided funding to local authorities to ensure that all social care workers receive the real Living Wage. And we will ensure that all staff working in private nurseries delivering our pledge to expand childcare are paid the real Living Wage too.

But we must go further if we are to ensure all workers receive a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. That’s why we support payment of the real Living wage, which ensures people’s basic wage continues to meet the real cost of living. We back a transition towards payment of the real Living wage as a new minimum legal requirement to all adults above the age of 18, creating a new single adult rate.

We believe that the rate paid to 16 to 18 year olds and apprentices should increase in line with changes to the rate of the real Living Wage. The UK government should task the Low Pay Commission to deliver this national pay rise, and put in place appropriate support for employers.