National Living Wage

Ping Pong to trial 15% ‘brand charge’ ahead of tipping law introduction

03-Apr-2024 By James McAllister

London-based dim sum chain Ping Pong has scrapped service charge and is replacing it with a discretionary 15% ‘brand charge’ to fund wage rises for all of its restaurant teams.

BrewDog drops commitment to Real Living Wage as it looks to cut costs

10-Jan-2024 By James McAllister

BrewDog has dropped its commitment to the Real Living Wage as it looks to cut costs amid ongoing losses.

Sector pleads for support as leaders warn wage increase could be ‘death knell’ for many

22-Nov-2023 By James McAllister

Industry leaders have warned an increase in the National Living Wage could be a ‘death knell’ for smaller hospitality businesses without targeted tax cuts in today’s (22 November) Autumn Statement.

Government set to announce living wage rise

15-Nov-2022 By Georgi Gyton

The Government is expected to announce a significant rise in the national living wage, from £9.50 an hour to around £10.40 an hour.

National Living Wage rise comes into effect

01-Apr-2022 By James McAllister

The National Living Wage rise comes into effect today (1 April), alongside increases to the other rates of the National Minimum Wage.

Autumn Budget: five things to look out for

27-Oct-2021 By James McAllister

Ahead of today’s (27 October) Autumn Budget, here are five things to look out for that will have a significant impact on hospitality as it recovers from the pandemic.

National Living Wage to rise to £9.50 an hour

26-Oct-2021 By James McAllister

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is to announce a 6.6% rise in the National Living Wage to £9.50 per hour in his Budget tomorrow (27 October).

Clarity regarding National Living Wage rise and Job Retention Scheme (update)

01-Apr-2020 By James McAllister

The National Living Wage (NLW) increased today (1 April) by 6.2%, however, Government guidance suggests furloughed workers will not benefit from the rise, despite HMRC initially telling BigHospitality they would.

National Living Wage rise could cause "unprecedented" cost pressures

01-Oct-2019 By James McAllister

The Government’s plan to further increase the National Living Wage (NLW) over the next five years could cause an “unprecedented cost increase for employers” trade body UKHospitality has warned.

TGI Friday's denies claims of "ethically dubious" changes to tips distribution

13-Feb-2018 By Georgia Bronte

TGI Friday’s has refuted claims by trade union Unite that it’s planning to save on payroll by using tips to improve the wages of back-of-house staff.

A fifth of UK restaurants at risk of going under

30-Oct-2017 By Stefan Chomka

Up to a fifth of UK restaurants are at risk of going bust due to Brexit, according to new research by accountancy firm Moore Stephens.

Rising National Living Wage could put hospitality jobs at risk

07-Jul-2017 By Michelle Perrett

The Low Pay Commission (LPC) has been urged to show caution on further increases to the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage or risk future investment and jobs in the hospitality sector. 

Hourly hospitality pay outstripping minimum wage

21-Oct-2016 By Mark Wingett

Hourly pay for UK hospitality workers is already significantly outstripping new legal minimum wage thresholds, research by Fourth Analytics has revealed.

Hospitality warned of consequences of not paying National Minimum Wage

12-Aug-2016 By Hannah Thompson

Hospitality businesses have been warned of the name-and-shame consequences of not adhering to the Minimum Wage in the wake of new National Living Wage rates.

Hospitality paying staff more than NLW survey finds

19-Jul-2016 By Emma Eversham

The hospitality industry is paying workers over 25 an average of 27p above the National Living Wage (NLW) a wage survey has reveal

Hospitality industry ignored and 'undermined' by Government

20-Jun-2016 By Sophie Witts

The leaders of some of the UK’s largest hospitality firms have criticised the Government for continually ‘undermining’ and undervaluing the industry.

Restaurant chains cut staff perks to meet National Living Wage

26-Apr-2016 By Sophie Witts

Restaurant chains including Zizzi, EAT and Café Nero have faced criticism for appearing to cut staff perks following the introduction of the National Living Wage (NLW).

Could the National Living Wage make eating out more expensive?

31-Mar-2016 By Sophie Witts

The National Living Wage (NLW) comes in to force on 1 April, but what does this mean for the hospitality sector?

Budget 2016: Hospitality industry reacts to 'disappointing' reforms

16-Mar-2016 By Sophie Witts

The hospitality industry gave a lukewarm reception to today’s budget, with many trade bodies calling for greater support from the Chancellor.

Bar Soba adopts Living Wage early to support 'relentless' expansion plans

28-Jan-2016 By Sophie Witts

Asian restaurant group Bar Soba is to pay its staff the National Living Wage two months early in order to support its ‘relentless’ expansion plans.

Seven hotel trends for 2016

04-Jan-2016 By Liam Garrahan

Huge company mergers, robot room-service, record-breaking occupancy figures and the announcement of the National Living Wage; 2015 was a busy year for the hotel sector, but what does 2016 have in store? BigHospitality casts an eye over the coming year.

Employers ‘unprepared’ for National Living Wage, Government warns

07-Dec-2015 By Sophie Witts

A majority of Britain’s employers are risking legal action by failing to prepare for the introduction of the National Living Wage next year, the Government has warned.

Diners will pay the price for the Living Wage, Mitchells & Butlers warns

24-Nov-2015 By Sophie Witts

Mitchells & Butlers has warned that customers could see a hike in prices as the company faces rising costs from the National Living Wage (NLW).

Living Wage will cost hospitality £13.2m by 2020

16-Oct-2015 By Ruth Williams

The hospitality and leisure sector will be hit with a £13.2m increase in wages by 2020 when the National Living Wage (NLW) comes into force.

Five Guys UK introduces National Living Wage ahead of next year's change

05-Oct-2015 By Sophie Witts

Five Guys UK has become the latest chain to raise staff salaries ahead of the introduction of the National Living Wage next April.

National Living Wage to add 3.4% to hospitality wage bills by 2020

16-Sep-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Employers in the hospitality industry will see their wage bills increase by 3.4 per cent by 2020 with almost half of employees in the sector receiving a pay rise due to the rollout of the National Living Wage (NLW).

Wetherspoon's boss: Living Wage will hit pubs in poorer areas

11-Sep-2015 By Sophie Witts

The boss of JD Wetherspoon has warned that the introduction of the National Living Wage will place added financial pressure on pubs in less affluent areas.

Whitbread to raise prices to combat cost of National Living Wage

08-Sep-2015 By Sophie Witts

Whitbread has announced it is planning to raise prices across some of its chains in order to account for the cost of the new National Living Wage.

70% of hospitality operators foresee negative impact of National Living Wage

17-Aug-2015 By Mark Wingett

More than 70 per cent of restaurant and pub operators believe the introduction of the National Living Wage for the over-25s next year will have a negative impact on their businesses, according to a survey carried out by M&C Allegra Foodservice.

Summer Budget 2015: National Living Wage to be introduced in 2016

08-Jul-2015 By Emma Eversham

All UK businesses will have to pay workers a National Living Wage of £7.20 an hour from next April, Chancellor George Osborne has announced. 

Summer Budget 2015: Hospitality industry mulls 'considerable impact' of compulsory Living Wage

08-Jul-2015 By Emma Eversham

Introducing a compulsory Living Wage will have a 'considerable impact' on the hospitality industry, trade bodies have warned with employers facing higher wage bills and greater administration.