John Lewis invests 114 million pounds into employee pay increases

John Lewis Partnership (JLP) has announced a 114 million pound investment into increasing pay for its employees. According to the company, which owns both supermarket giant Waitrose and department store chain John Lewis, 77 percent of the investment is voluntary, and goes beyond the requirements of the National Minimum Wage, which is set to increase in April.

From April 1, minimum pay for JLP employees outside of London will increase from 11.55 pounds to 12.40 pounds an hour. Partners within the M25 will see wages rise from 12.89 to 13.85 pounds. For those who offer enhanced skills and hold specialist roles in stores, pay will increase to 13.39 pounds an hour, and 14.96 pounds inside the M25. Employees who are also deemed to have contributed “exceptionally” to the business will also earn an additional 2 percent pay increase.

This latest pay investment builds on the 116 million pounds injected in 2024, bringing the company’s total investment in wages to 230 million pounds over two years. Over the past three years, meanwhile, JLP has increased total pay by 295 million pounds, a press release stated.

In a statement, Jo Rackham, interim executive director of People, said: “Our partners are co-owners of our business and their service to our customers is what sets us apart, so we have chosen to make another very significant investment in partner pay this year. This signals our continued commitment to our partners’ pay, taking our total investment over the last three years to 295 million pounds.”