Pagets Builders' Merchants has become an accredited Living Wage employer.

The Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at Pagets Builders' Merchants, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors and suppliers, receive a minimum hourly wage of £7.85 - significantly higher than the national minimum wage of £6.50.

The Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually. It is calculated according to the basic cost of living using the 'Minimum Income Standard' for the UK. Decisions about what to include in this standard are set by the public; it is a social consensus about what people need to make ends meet.

Pagets Builders' Merchants are a Sheffield-based, independent, family owned business with two branches in the city. They have been supplying Sheffield building trade professionals, as well as the general public, for over 50 years.

Robert Copley, director at Pagets Builders' Merchants, said: "We are a responsible employer and are very proud to commit to becoming Living Wage accredited. This move acknowledges the hard work, dedication, and loyalty of our staff and confirms our desire to ensure that all our employees receive a fair rate of pay. Quite simply, it is the right thing to do."

Employers choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis. The Living Wage enjoys cross party support, with public backing from the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.

Living Wage Foundation Director Rhys Moore said: "We are delighted to welcome Pagets to the Living Wage movement as an accredited employer. The best employers are voluntarily signing up to pay the Living Wage now. The Living Wage is a robust calculation that reflects the real cost of living, rewarding a hard day's work with a fair day's pay.

"We have accredited over 1,000 leading employers, including Pagets, ranging from independent printers, bookshops and breweries, to well-known companies such as Nationwide, Aviva and SSE. These businesses recognise that clinging to the national minimum wage is not good for business. Customers expect better than that."