MENTAL health staff are celebrating Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust’s (GMW) ‘Living Wage’ accreditation – making them the first NHS trust in the North West to offer the Living Wage to all its staff.

The Living Wage is an independently set, voluntary rate of pay and is recognised at both ends of the political spectrum as the minimum pay needed for a worker to provide a decent standard of living for themselves and their family.

GMW will now pay its staff a minimum of £7.85 per hour which is significantly higher than the minimum wage of £6.50 per hour.

GMW will implement the new Living Wage rate, as soon as it is confirmed.

The Living Wage will come in to effect from December 1 and will benefit 248 members of GMW staff.