LANCASHIRE County Council is one of the latest major employers to be named as a living wage employer.

The accreditation from The Living Wage Foundation reflects the county council's commitment since April 2014 that all staff have received a minimum hourly wage of £7.65 compared to the national minimum wage of £6.50.

Accreditation also means that employers will implement living wage rate increases annually.

Jennifer Mein, leader of the county council, said: "I made a commitment when we took control of the council in 2013 that we would introduce a living wage, to make sure that we pay our staff a wage that matches the basic cost of living.

"As a result, we're directly helping staff in a range of frontline roles including cleaners and school catering staff. These are dedicated people, who provide many important services for people across Lancashire, and we have to make sure that their pay covers the basic cost of living.

"There are clear benefits to us as an employer relating to recruiting and retaining staff. We'd encourage other councils and businesses in Lancashire to follow suit and pay their staff a living wage."

Employers choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis.