THE Joseph Rowntree Foundation explained today why it was offering laundry staff £6.33 an hour – less than its own report suggested was needed for an acceptable living.

The York organisation recently published annual research on “minimum income standards”, based on what members of the public think people need to achieve a socially acceptable standard of living.

The research found a single person in the UK needed an income of at least £14,400 a year before tax to afford a basic, but acceptable, standard of living. Assuming a 40 hour working week, this works out at £6.92 an hour.

But the foundation is currently advertising for two part-time laundry assistants – working 20 hours and ten hours per week in its Care Services Department – for only £6.33 per hour.

A spokesman said it accepted that as an employer and provider of services, operating in the broader economy, it was a challenge ensuring each position reached the minimum income standard – especially in traditionally lower paid jobs in the care sector.

He said: “We have stated before that we feel the work done by people in the care sector is greatly undervalued by society and believe it should be more properly rewarded.

“We remain committed to using our Minimum Income Standards and other research to play our part in improving the wage levels of people working in these types of jobs, whoever employs them.”

He stressed that on top of the basic salary, the JRF offered all staff a generous range of organisational benefits, including a sick pay scheme from day one, a free health plan available to all staff with over one year of service, childcare support for everyone with pre-school children and a retail discount scheme.

He said: “We also support staff to undertake relevant development programmes like NVQs to encourage colleagues to continue improving their wage levels.”