A third of the UK's top companies are now paying the voluntary living wage, with drinks giant Diageo the latest to commit to paying it.

The average pay of a chief executive in leading companies is almost £5m — 183 times that of workers, a new study has revealed.

Ikea will next year begin paying its staff in Britain a living wage above the compulsory level set out by the government this month, the world’s largest furniture retailer said.