A GO-ahead company has put its money where its example is to become Hereford’s first accredited Living Wage employer.

Every member of staff at Whitestone-based allpay will get a wage above the statutory minimum rate.

Payment specialist allpay is one of the fastest growing companies in the UK and recently completed a £5 million expansion to handle new business and create around 200 new jobs.

The company is also strongly committed to – and recognised for – the standard of its apprenticeship programme.

Promoted by the Living Wage Foundation, the Living Wage aims to encourage employers to raise the basic salary of its employees to a level that will earn them enough money to provide for their families.

By joining the programme, allpay commits to ensuring that its employees can afford the essentials of life, reducing the risk of financial hardship and poverty.

Set as an informal benchmark, employers are encouraged to pay at least £9.15 per hour in London, and £7.85 across the rest of the country, well above the minimum wage rate of £6.50.

The scheme has already received wide-ranging political support, and, with over 1,200 employers already being accredited by the Living Wage Foundation, increasing numbers of companies are committing themselves to paying a liveable wage to employed and subcontracted staff.

Rhys Moore, Director, Living Wage Foundation said: “We are very pleased to welcome allpay as the first accredited Living Wage employer in Hereford and we hope that the leadership they are showing will encourage others to consider how they could implement the Living Wage in their workplace.

Tony Killeen, Managing Director and Founder of allpay, said: “When we heard about the Living Wage Foundation and its initiative, we were very keen to become an accredited employer, because of our desire to ensure that the people we have working for us are given a fair day’s pay.”