Minimum hourly rate rises to £13.45 across five Skye, Oban and Glencoe hotels
Independent Scottish hotel group Perle Hotels, which operates five hotels across Skye, Oban and Glencoe, has become an accredited Living Wage employer, covering employees across the group. Perle has paid the Real Living Wage since April 2025, with the current minimum hourly rate of £13.45, compared with the UK Government National Living Wage of £12.71 for those aged 21 and over.
The accreditation comes at a challenging time for the hospitality industry, with businesses continuing to face pressure from rising employment and operating costs. Perle chose to maintain its commitment to the Real Living Wage following a 6.75% increase in the rate this year, increasing its minimum hourly rate to £13.45 in April.
There are currently 20 employees across the group whose basic hourly rate is £13.45. A further 26 are paid £13.45 plus a £1 per hour housing allowance, which Perle provides to eligible locally based hourly paid employees in the Highlands and Oban. Other pay bands and salary scales across the business have also been reviewed and adjusted to maintain appropriate differences between roles and reflect skills, experience and responsibilities.
Beth Rehman, owner of Perle Hotels, said: “We’ve been paying the Real Living Wage since April last year and becoming accredited felt like the right next step for us. There’s no question that hospitality businesses are operating in a very challenging environment. Costs have increased significantly across the board, and the latest rise in the Real Living Wage was another substantial increase for employers.”
She added: “But our hotels depend on having the best teams. We have fantastic people working across Perle and, despite those wider pressures, continuing to pay the Real Living Wage was important to us. We also know that living and working in some of our locations comes with its own challenges, particularly around housing. That’s why we pay an additional housing allowance to eligible employees in the Highlands and Oban and provide subsidised accommodation for employees who need it. Becoming accredited gives formal recognition to something we’ve already been doing, and we’re very pleased to have it in place across all of our hotels.”
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Perle Hotels also provides a range of benefits for employees including subsidised accommodation, complimentary gym memberships, free meals while on shift and training and development opportunities. Employees also have access to an Employee Assistance Programme, providing confidential professional support including up to six free counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy sessions for each issue or incident where support is needed.
According to the release, in Scotland 88.7% of all jobs pay at least the Real Living Wage, higher than any other UK nation. The number of jobs paid below the Real Living Wage has increased in recent years, and more than one in 10 jobs in Scotland pays less than the Real Living Wage, equating to 286,000 jobs. The release states that the Real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate calculated according to the cost of living, and that employers choose to pay it on a voluntary basis. Since 2011, the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 72,000 people in Scotland and put over £680 million extra into the pockets of low-paid Scottish workers, the release said.
Lynn Anderson, Living Wage Scotland Manager, said: “We’re delighted that Perle Hotels has become an accredited Living Wage employer. They join a growing movement of employers in Scotland who recognise that the security of a Real Living Wage can help create a happier, healthier and more motivated workforce. Our Living Wage network includes employers from across all sectors and industries, and we hope to see many more join Perle Hotels in going further than the minimum.”
