SHOCKING figures for the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area show that nearly 40 per cent of the workforce here – some 13,000 people – are paid less than the the living wage.
The figure – roughly twice the national average – means that two out of five workers here are paid less than £7.85 per hour.
These statistics could in fact be higher as it excludes those employed on youth, training and apprentice rates.
Jonathan Styles, chairman of Enniskillen Businesses Partnership, said that businesses will have “contrasting views” on the living wage.
“You have many people affected by it because businesses can’t offer the living wage as they are in decline. For some local businesses it can be a financial strain yet they know they have to offer it.”
With cuts to public services on the rise both Fermanagh Citizen’s Advice Bureau and Debt Advice Centre are concerned not only at the statistics, but the effect on workers particularly when cuts to tax credits come into force in 20 weeks time.
Siobhan Peoples from Fermanagh Citizen’s Advice Bureau detailed that the situation for people living in Fermanagh is one where people have to ‘seriously consider’ whether having a job will make them ‘worse off’.
Citizen’s Advice Bureau in Fermanagh currently calculate tax credits and benefit entitlement for on average 60 people a month. In June 2015 enquires saw a high of 72 people, which is reflective of the amount of people on minimum wage jobs and worried about their standard of living.
Siobhan Peoples said, “Cutting tax credits will affect an awful lot more of our clients, particularly females and lone parents. – I can’t see the sense as welfare was meant to make it more profitable to work than be on benefits.
“All the people who phone us for calculations have the power to make an informed decision as to whether they should take a job, because if you are worse of because of childcare and transport, then what is the point. There is no initiative there and the economy will suffer.”
Kevin Lawrenson from the Debt Advice Centre said, “There is not a reliance on tax credits but there is a need.
“Childcare is the biggest burden for those who are out working. I would look to the council to help in these situations to help in making the cost of childcare affordable and to lobby against the tax credit cuts.”
In terms of the figures of people working for below the living wage, Kevin deemed Fermanagh as, “The forgotten county.”
He added, “Yes we have new jobs coming to Fermanagh but this will be graded over a number of years and look at what has been lost here. – Everyday there are cars leaving Fermanagh to go north and investment is needed, in the here and now.”
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