Living Wage to increase by 20 cent

Source: RTE The Living Wage has been increased by 20 cent to €11.70 an hour by the Living Wage technical group. The group is made up of researchers and academics and is conducted by the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice (VPSJ). The Living Wage is distinct from the minimum wage which stands at €9.25 at the moment and is set by the Government's low pay commission. The 20 cent increase in the Living Wage was arrived at upon consideration of a number of changes in the cost of living and the taxation regime in the last year. While the cost of many components actually decreased and changes to the universal social charge increased net pay, the one big driver of the increase was housing costs and rents in particular. The technical group noted that rents increased by over €15 per week in Dublin on average in the last year. The Living Wage for the Republic of Ireland was established in 2014, and is updated in July of each year. It is part of a growing international trend to establish an evidence-based hourly income that a full-time worker needs so that they can experience a socially acceptable minimum standard of living.