A revised and final offer was made last week to the UNISON and Unite trade unions in the 2017/18 pay negotiations, which would mean a 1.7% uplift for staff represented by them, with higher increases for staff up to pay point 16.

This would mean the minimum staff salary for 2017/18 would be equivalent to the latest Voluntary Living Wage rate of £8.75, payable from its announcement by the Voluntary Living Wage Foundation on 6 November 2017.

The move would also overcome the time lag experienced in 2016/17, where the Voluntary Living Wage was announced in November, but applied to salaries the following August.

Vice Chancellor Professor Shearer West said: “I am pleased that this offer would mean the University could pay the equivalent of the Voluntary Living Wage in 2017/18, and reflects the University’s wider and longstanding commitment to its lowest paid members of staff.”