As part of its submission to the Chancellor’s Emergency Budget, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has asked that Government works with the retail industry to bring retail employees up to their full potential. This includes measures to help employees to progress to more productive jobs by supporting skills acquisition and targeting and help low earners with lower taxation rather than artificially inflating pay whilst encouraging businesses to provide higher rates of pay in general with tax incentives.
BRC director general, Helen Dickinson, said: “Our submission focuses on the goals shared by the Government and the retail industry. Retailers know they’re nothing without their people. As the largest private sector employer in the UK we have a duty of care to nearly three million employees. We’re proud of the opportunities we offer to people from all backgrounds - from the highly skilled to those with little or no formal qualifications.
“However, both retailers and the Government know that there’s more to be done to improve productivity and to help people to progress to higher rates of pay. The barriers to progression and higher productivity are varied and complex. Unpicking these issues and developing sustainable solutions is the right approach.”
