Living wage: there's nae other team to compare to the Hearts!

Heart of Midlothian have scored with anti-poverty campaigners after the Gorgie team became the first football club in Scotland to pay all staff the living wage.

The decision will see all club employees paid at least £7.85 per hour – £1.35 more than the national minimum wage.

Hearts currently top their league by a wide margin and a return to the top flight at the first time of asking looks inevitable. Off the park, the club is doing things right too – and with their profile sky high it’s hoped that where Hearts lead, others will follow.

The Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative was launched in April to provides support and advice to organisations. It’s delivered by The Poverty Alliance, and director Peter Kelly has welcomed Hearts’ initiative. He said: “Almost two in three children in poverty in Scotland live in a household where someone works, and the living wage is a vital tool in lifting people out of in work poverty.

“Football clubs have an important role in communities across Scotland. With thousands of people turning out every week to support their local clubs, they can play an important leadership role, not only for fans but for the businesses they work with.

“I hope that more clubs will follow Heart of Midlothian’s example but not only giving their staff a pay rise this Christmas, but by showing real leadership on this issue on and off the pitch.”

A Heart of Midlothian spokesperson said the move was in keeping with the club’s values. “Heart of Midlothian Football Club is delighted to be given accreditation to become a living wage employer.

“The club feels that implementing the living wage is entirely in keeping with the values that we hold dear as Edinburgh’s oldest football club. Since revealing our intention to implement the living wage the club has received widespread backing from both our supporters and sponsors.”

More than 70 employers are now accredited as paying the living wage, but there’s a long way to go – in Scotland, it’s estimated that at least 414,000 workers are currently paid below the living wage.