John Lewis Partnership announces £108m pay investment

• Hourly shop floor pay rises 6.9%: equivalent to £1,600 a year for full time frontline Partners
• Nearly 90% voluntary: driven by desire to invest in Partners, beyond the requirements of the National Minimum Wage
• Ongoing investment: comes on top of nearly £300m over the three previous years

The John Lewis Partnership has announced a £108m investment in pay, continuing its commitment to invest in Partner wages, alongside its wide range of other benefits.

The latest announcement comes on top of nearly £300m added to the pay budget over the three previous years.

Of this latest £108m investment, nearly 90% is voluntary and driven by the business’ desire to invest in its Partners, representing spend above and beyond the requirements of the National Minimum Wage.

From 1 April, those working on the shop floor across John Lewis and Waitrose will receive a 6.9% increase - with minimum hourly rates rising to £13.25 (UK-wide) and £14.80 (within the M25). For a typical full-time Partner, this translates to an additional £1,600 per year.

Rates of pay increase to £14.31 per hour for those Partners who gain enhanced skills and take on specialist roles, rising to £15.98 within the M25.

Helen Webb, Chief People Officer for the John Lewis Partnership, said: “Our Partners are the heartbeat of our business. This £108m investment is about putting more money into their pockets month-in, month-out. This pay growth demonstrates a sustained commitment to Partner pay, consistent with previous years. This ensures that the rewards for our Partners’ hard work are built into their monthly pay as we continue to invest in the future of the Partnership."

In addition to baseline pay, Partners get access to a unique range of benefits - including generous discounts at John Lewis and Waitrose. The Partnership also offers up to a 12% pension contribution, discounted rates to its network of hotels across the UK, up to £275 towards subsidising personal development and leisure activities such as theatre and live events, subsidised meals, and a wide ranging health and wellbeing offer including options for self-referral to physiotherapy and counselling.

Notes to Editors

About the John Lewis Partnership 

The John Lewis Partnership owns and operates two of Britain's best-loved retail brands - John Lewis and Waitrose. Started as a radical experiment over a century ago, the Partnership is now the largest employee-owned business in the UK. The Partnership is purpose-driven, existing to create a fairer and more sustainable future for our Partners, customers, suppliers and communities. Our Purpose not only inspires our principles, drives our decisions and acts as our guide to be a force for good, it steers us to do things differently and better - all in service of creating a happier world for everyone and everything we touch.

John Lewis operates 34 shops across the UK as well as johnlewis.com. Waitrose has 315 shops in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands, including 47 convenience branches, and another 29 shops at Welcome Break locations. The retailer's omnichannel business includes the online grocery service, Waitrose.com, and specialist online shops including waitrosecellar.com for wine.