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Sheffield business becomes Living Wage employer: Mirage accredited for paying higher rate

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Mirage was founded in Sheffield in 2008.

A Sheffield-based retailer and manufacturer is the latest company in the city to become a Living Wage employer.

Founded in 2008, vape specialist Mirage now has 30 branches and over 100 employees.

"To offer the whole workforce the Real Living Wage to me is a natural step forward and it's only fair as an employer to ensure that your staff earn enough to make ends meet," said MD Craig Newbold.

The Real Living Wage is currently £9.30 an hour outside London, and is calculated by the Living Wage Foundation based on actual living costs.

This is £1.09 more than the government's so-called National Living Wage, which is actually the minimum wage for over 25s.

To offer the whole workforce the Real Living Wage to me is a natural step forward

Unlike the statutory minimum wage, which falls to £6.15 for workers aged 18 to 20, the Real Living Wage stays the same regardless of age.

The Foundation lists 23 accredited employers in Sheffield, ranging from national firms like Lloyds and Santander to Theatre Deli and Sheffield City Council.

Opus Independents, which publishes Now Then, is also a Real Living Wage employer.

Newbold is now urging other firms in the city to pay the higher rate, calling it a "fair day's wage for a fair day's work". In 2018, around a quarter of workers in Sheffield received less than the Real Living Wage.

Sam Gregory

by Sam Gregory (he/him)

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