Amazon has increased pay for tens of thousands of its UK frontline workers, taking minimum full-time salaries above £31,000 a year.
The company has raised its minimum starting wage for operations staff by up to 5.6 per cent, with hourly pay now starting at £15.10 and rising to £16.10 depending on location.
The new rates, which came into effect on 27 September, mean full-time employees will earn at least £31,408 a year, with starting salaries reaching £33,488 in some parts of the country.
The pay rise applies across Amazon’s full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal frontline operations workforce and represents an 80p-an-hour increase compared with last year.
Amazon said its minimum starting wage has now climbed 44 per cent since 2022. Last year, the retailer increased starting pay to between £14.30 and £15.30 an hour, with minimum annual salaries of £29,744.
Amazon UK country manager John Boumphrey said: “Our frontline teams are the backbone of our business, and this pay increase reflects that.
“Starting salaries now exceed £31,000 a year, and we’ll continue investing in our people because they deserve it.”
The ecommerce giant is also introducing an uncapped 10% employee discount on eligible groceries and everyday essentials sold through Amazon.co.uk from 1 October.
Its wider benefits package includes private medical insurance, life insurance, income protection, free Prime membership and a company pension.
The pay increase comes as Amazon continues a major expansion of its UK operations.
The retailer has pledged to invest £40bn in the UK between 2025 and 2027, which it says represents its largest investment programme outside the US, with more than £15bn already deployed.
Amazon has also continued opening new fulfilment centres and logistics sites across the country as it expands capacity to support its ecommerce operation.
The company said more than 30,000 UK employees have taken part in its Career Choice training programme since its launch in 2014, which provides funding of up to £3,000 a year towards recognised qualifications.
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