Businesses are demanding an ‘Oxford Living Wage’

Green Party members are asking for more money for Oxford workers, including part time students.

In light of recent reports, Oxford has been branded the most expensive place to live. If you shop around, it is possible to live for less in Oxford with places like Temple Cowley swarming with Poundland and B and M Bargains offering discount booze and bulk bags of snacks. But that’s all well and good until the cost of putting a roof over your head is extortionate and out of many peoples’ budgets.

Sadly, house prices are over ten times more expensive than what the average living wage can sustain which will put so many people off living in this stunning city.

Sam Hollick, who is a member of The Green Party, told The Oxford Mail workers should be getting a minimum of £8.93 per hour (about £17,700 a year) in order to house themselves in the city.

In recent years, a London Living Wage has been introduced where the minimum a worker should earn is close to £10 per hour. This is not fair. Housing in Oxford is more expensive, on average, than in London. The cost of living in Oxford is also more expensive, so why are we not getting a higher regional wage when Londoners do? It makes no sense. Money earned should be calculated based on how expensive a location is and if London is not that pricey, people there should not be getting more than others.

Not only will this drive away businesses but the student environment that Oxford is known for, might not be around forever. Oxford is packed full of students not only from the colleges and Brookes, but other business and international schools.

Many of which work part time to allow a bit of extra cash to fund the ridiculous prices. Unfortunately, those around the age of 20 are receiving £5.30 per hour for their hard hours as part time staff on top of being a full time student.

£5.30 is barely a pint on Cowley Road and something needs to change.