Premier League clubs accused of ‘increasing poverty’ by refusing to pay real Living Wage

The Premier League has been called upon to encourage more of its members to pay the real Living Wage — with claims clubs are adding to the poverty in their communities by refusing to do so.

A new report by Citizens UK has revealed that almost half of employees working at sports clubs and facilities are paid below real Living Wage, as opposed to the 20 per cent who still do not receive that recompense nationally.

While top-flight players have seen a 2,000 per cent increase in wages in the past two decades, from an average of £2,700 per week in 1997 to £57,514 per week in 2019, most contract staff have seen little more than the government minimum inflation pay-rises.

Everton, Chelsea, Liverpool and West Ham are the only accredited real Living Wage payers who pay it to their directly employed and third-party staff. League One leaders Luton Town were the first professional football club to become real Living Wage payers, in December 2014. FC United of Manchester are also accredited.

Read more: Why Luton Town are proud to be real Living Wage employers

Luton chief executive Gary Sweet told i: “I’m shocked that more haven’t done it. There is an awful lot of money in football. It needs a push from the Premier League clubs. This cost us less than £50,000 per year when we implemented it and it’s still less than £100,000. It wouldn’t cost more than £250,000 for a top Premier League club. It’s not a crazy sum of money.

“I know a lot of decent owners who do care about their communities. We researched it and found if people were paid below real Living Wage we’d be increasing poverty in Luton. We didn’t want that on our conscience.

“The competition organisers — the Premier League and the EFL — really need to help clubs implement it. It has to be a business choice, but the leagues can help clubs understand the benefits.”

Manchester United’s £57m profit, but still they won’t sign up

While all Premier League clubs made a league-wide commitment to paying permanent staff the Living Wage in 2016, large numbers of those who work for them are provided by contractors.

The Citizens UK report suggests that Manchester United made a profit of £57m, yet still will not pay the real Living Wage to everyone who works for them. Lifelong United supporter Michael Green told Citizens UK: “I’m ashamed that my great club, which can pay its players millions a year, from which the owners can earn millions of pounds every season, cannot agree to pay its very lowest paid employees the real Living Wage. Alexis Sanchez is reported to earn between £14m and £28m per year. On the other hand Manchester United only pays its cleaners, bar staff and stewards less than £8 an hour.”

The real Living Wage, calculated independently and set annually on the cost of living in the UK, is £9 an hour outside London and £10.55 in the capital. Polling for the Living Wage Foundation found that more than a third of those paid below real Living Wage skipped meals for financial reasons, while 70 per cent said that being paid the real Living Wage would improve their mental health. Women are also disproportionately affected by low pay: almost a third of all female employees are paid below the real Living Wage.

Everton ‘The People’s Club’

At clubs, those affected include stadium workers, cleaners, catering staff and security guards. Some players earn more in a week than a night-shift worker could in 20 years.

Kim Healey, People Director at Everton, said: “We take immense pride in being ‘The People’s Club’. Not only do we put our loyal supporters first, but we also place huge importance on staff welfare. Paying all employees the Living Wage was a step in the right direction.

“We are proud of our Living Wage accreditation at Everton Football Club, while we also look to promote the importance of paying the living wage not only in sport but in all other businesses. We have found it improves our employees’ quality of life and also benefits our society.”