Almost a third of Scottish jobs are being advertised online at under the real living wage, according to exclusive research by The Ferret, prompting campaigners to condemn the “scandal” of low pay across the country.
The analysis of over 10,000 adverts on employment site Indeed and the Department of Work and Pensions’ (DWP) own job portal, found that 31 per cent of all adverts – and more than 50 per cent of part-time roles – were under the real living wage of 9.90 per hour.
The voluntary rate, based on the cost of living, is set by the Living Wage Foundation in November.
Politicians and campaigners said the figures were “shocking” in light of spiralling living costs. They called for a UK Government inquiry into the “rampant” culture of low pay and an increase in minimum wages paid.
Workers, including those earning just over the living wage, told The Ferret they were struggling to cover eye-watering rents, increasing food prices, rapidly rising energy bills and unaffordable public transport costs.
Our research was conducted during a two week snapshot period from 17 to 30 January and looked at Scottish jobs advertised at hourly rates. Job ads that did not contain salary information, part-time ads where hourly rates could not be established, term-time only jobs and those advertised as apprenticeships were removed.
The Ferret calculated hourly rates for those jobs given as annual salaries, using the starting salary figure. Where hours were not specified it assumed full-time to...
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