Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff in her Department are paid less than £10.20 per hour.

The Department for Work and Pensions pays all employees at least the statutory National Living Wage of £7.83 per hour, regardless of age.

The Living Wage Foundation advocates employers paying an alternative hourly rate known as the Real Living Wage (RLW) or London Living Wage (LLW). The current London Living Wage is £10.20.

Based on the working hours calculation used by the Living Wage Foundation DWP paid 15,371 employees less than £10.20 per hour as at September 2018. However, of these, only 14 are in London.

Please note this figure excludes employees on long term unpaid breaks, such as carer’s leave.