M&S UK: Marks and Spencer gives shop staff 6.4% pay rise - how to apply for jobs and careers
The retail giant is investing in its staff with a major pay boost 💷
- Marks & Spencer will raise pay for around 55,000 store workers by 6.4% from April
- Hourly wages will increase to £13.41 across the UK and £14.74 in London
- The new rate is above the rising national minimum wage, but below the real living wage benchmark
- Campaigners have urged the retailer to restore its previous commitment to the real living wage
- The company says it has invested more than £350m in staff pay over four years and is continuing to recruit
Retail giant Marks & Spencer has announced a 6.4% pay rise for tens of thousands of shop workers, taking hourly wages above the upcoming minimum wage.
But the retailer has also quietly stepped back from matching the voluntary “real living wage”.
The high street chain confirmed that from April 1, around 55,000 store staff will see their hourly pay increase to £13.41 across the UK, or £14.74 in London.
The move places pay above the new UK National Minimum Wage, which is set to rise to £12.71 per hour for workers aged 21 and over from the same date.
But the new rate falls just short of the Living Wage Foundation’s independently calculated real living wage, which currently stands at £13.45 per hour across the UK and £14.80 in London.
Last year, M&S said its store staff pay had been raised in line with that benchmark, which is based on the cost of living and is adopted voluntarily by some employers. Campaign group ShareAction has urged the retailer to restore the commitment.
Louise Eldridge, head of good work at ShareAction, said stepping away from the real living wage was concerning at a time when many households are struggling with everyday costs.
She said the benchmark was designed to ensure workers can meet living expenses, save for the future and maintain a good quality of life.
Despite the criticism, M&S said the latest rise represents a significant investment in its workforce. The retailer said it has spent more than £350 million on staff pay over the past four years, delivering an overall increase of more than 34%.
The latest rise alone will cost the business more than £70 million, and the company said the increase is higher than the current rate of inflation.
Chief executive Stuart Machin said the pay award reflects the importance of frontline staff as the retailer continues its transformation.
He said: “This is a good cost and I am pleased that we have been able to make this inflation-beating pay award, alongside our leading package of benefits.”
How to apply for jobs at M&S
Anyone interested in working for Marks & Spencer can search for roles through the retailer’s official careers website.
Applicants can browse vacancies across store roles, management positions and corporate jobs, as well as apprenticeships and early-career opportunities.
To apply, candidates typically need to create an online profile on the M&S careers portal, search for roles by location or job type, submit an online application and CV, and complete any required assessments or interviews.
Vacancies regularly include customer assistants, store supervisors and specialist food or clothing roles.
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