Ikea to pay staff more than living wage

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.

In his first post-election budget, British finance minister, George Osborne, announced a compulsory living wage for workers aged over 25, starting at £7.20 an hour when it is introduced next April, and rising to £9.35 by 2020.

Ikea, the privately owned Swedish company known for its flat-pack, self-assembly furniture, said it would, instead, pay all of its UK workers the level set out annually by The Living Wage Foundation. It will be the first national retailer to do so.