Coronavirus UK: Will key workers get a pay rise?

Key workers have continued to travel to work during the UK lockdown.

As the UK nears the end of its first week in coronavirus lockdown, most people across the country have been advised to stay at home unless they need to make an essential journey.

Permitted reasons to leave the house include going grocery shopping, doing exercise and travelling to work, but only if you are deemed a key worker by the government.

Key workers are those considered essential in fighting against the Covid-19 pandemic, and the list includes all NHS staff plus support and specialist staff in the health and social care sector.

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Social workers, teachers, transport staff and those working in the production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery of food are also classed as key workers.

Given the nature of their roles and the fact they are exposing themselves – and their families – to risk, some people have raised the question of whether or not they deserve a pay rise.

Is it on the horizon? We take a look.

Will key workers get a pay rise?

Owing to the fairly long and non-exhaustive list of key workers, each role is treated on a case by case basis and any decisions on salary increases would be made by each individual employer.

However, some supermarkets have rewarded their staff for working during these trying times, with the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers reporting that Sainsbury’s have given staff a 10% bonus for working during the pandemic.

Tesco and Aldi confirmed they are doing the same, via respective press releases on their websites.

Both supermarket giants will backdate the bonus to hours worked from March 9.

Meanwhile, the increased National Minimum Wage, set to come into force on April 1, is likely to impact some key workers, particularly care workers and shop workers, many of whom are on minimum wage rates.

The rate for over 25s will go up from £8.21 to £8.72 an hour, while the rate for 21 to 24-year-olds will rise from £7.70 to £8.20 an hour.

For a full-time worker, aged over 25, this will be an increase of £930 per year.

There are no plans to otherwise increase the salaries of NHS workers, although some will benefit from the increased rates.

According to Employee Benefits, outsourced workers at Kings George and Queens Hospitals in East London will receive the London living wage, effective from tomorrow.

This increase – negotiated by GMB Union – will see the hourly rate of outsourced staff rise from £8.21 to £10.75.

The Living Wage is calculated based on the real costs of living and takes into account rental costs, council tax and travel.

There is no legal obligation to pay the Living Wage, which is currently £10.75 in London.

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