Finance: Over 800,000 London workers are paid less than £10 an hour

A significant portion of London's estimated 8.6 million population lives on or around the breadline

LONDON — Over 800,000 London workers are paid less than £10 an hour, according to a new study from trade union GMB.

The London Living Wage, a voluntary scheme for employers, says the wage needed to make ends meet in the capital is £9.75, meaning that a significant portion of London's estimated 8.6 million population lives on or around the breadline.

The Labour party's manifesto includes a pledge to raise the National Minimum Wage — which is legally binding — to £10 an hour, a policy which GMB endorses.

GMB's London secretary Warren Kenny said the policy would "provide workers with an adequate level of income from a full-time job to enable them to pay the bills."

The Conservatives pledge to increase the national minimum wage to £8.75 by 2020, the same timeframe in which Labour would raise it to £10 an hour.

A report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies has warned that both plans could put the jobs of lower-paid workers at risk, as they would significantly increase the cost of hiring new staff.

A significant portion of London's estimated 8.6 million population lives on or around the breadline Read Full Story