St Andrew’s Psalter Lane Church
Living Wage Policy
The Living Wage Policy of the Methodist Church
The Methodist Conference 2010 confirmed its decision of 2007 that the Living Wage, as published by the Living Wage Foundation (https://www.livingwage.org.uk/), will form the minimum basic salary for all people employed by a district, circuit or local church. This policy also includes young people below the age of 18.
Districts, circuits or local churches are required to implement the Living Wage throughout the Connexion.
However, should a Church-run project believe it would be compelled to make redundancies if the Living Wage is adopted, it may apply to the District Policy Committee for permission to defer its implementation until an agreed date. Any such application should be accompanied by a business plan demonstrating:
- The value of the work to the community
- The need to make redundancies if the Living Wage was immediately implemented
- A plan to be in a position to pay the Living Wage within five years
Any project that believes it cannot submit such an application because it cannot honestly produce a viable business plan to implement the Living Wage within five years must produce a business plan and reasoned statement for the District Policy Committee (or its equivalent) demonstrating:
- The value of the work to the life and mission of the Church and community
- The need to make redundancies or close the work if the Living wage was implemented
- The reasons why for the foreseeable future a business plan cannot achieve a situation where the Living Wage could be paid within five years without jeopardising the project.
Should the District Policy Committee be satisfied that these criteria have been met the enterprise may pay a rate agreed by the District Policy Committee, this situation would be reviewed annually with a major review and reconsideration of the case every three years.
All such cases will be reported to and open to scrutiny by an appropriate member of the Connexional Team or persons appointed by them.
The Living Wage at St Andrew’s Psalter Lane
The Living Wage Foundation rates are usually published in November each year.
It is our policy to watch out for the new rates and implement the % increase across the board to all our employees, back dating the increase to 1 September when our year begins.
Review
The Living Wage Policy will be reviewed annually. The next review is due in February 2025. This version agreed and accepted by the ECC, 19th February 2024.