The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has launched its 2016 National Living Wage and Minimum Wage survey as part of its evidence gathering process for a submission to the Low Pay Commission.
The Commission has been tasked with looking at the impact of the introduction of the £7.20 per hour rate for staff aged 25 and over in April this year, in addition to reviewing plans to increase the Living Wage and National Minimum Wage every year through to 2020.
ACS says retailers face three rises in employment costs over the space of 12 months, as the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage are set to align in April 2017 after separate rises in the respective rates in April and October 2016.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “The introduction of the National Living Wage has imposed significant cost increases on thousands of convenience stores across the UK. Retailers are already telling us that they have to delay investment plans and restructure staff hours to deal with the cost, and this is likely to continue in the coming years if the Chancellor’s plan to raise the rate to over £9 an hour by 2020 come to fruition. The experiences of retailers are absolutely essential in making a case to the Low Pay Commission, which is why we’re encouraging all convenience retailers to take part.”
The survey, which ACS says takes only a few minutes to complete, can be accessed by clicking here: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/G3G6QK6
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