Boss gives all staff extra £120 a month to help them pay rising bills

8 April 2022, 12:03 | Updated: 8 April 2022, 12:05

A company has decided to give its employees a little bit extra
A company has decided to give its employees a little bit extra. Picture: Lothian Building Supplies/Getty Images
Naomi Bartram

By Naomi Bartram

One company has decided to give all staff an extra £120 a month to fight the cost of living crisis.

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A generous boss has given all of his staff an extra £120-a-month to help them combat soaring bills.

Martin Finlayson, 49, owns Lothian Building Supplies firm based near Tranent, south east Scotland.

And he has introduced a new scheme for all of his employees to ‘ease the pressure’ of the energy price cap rise.

This ‘cost of living allowance’ will see workers' pay cheques increase until further notice, regardless of what they do in the business.

Lothian Building Supplies has increased their employee wages
Lothian Building Supplies has increased their employee wages. Picture: Lothian Building Supplies

Writing on LinkedIn, Martin said: "We are nothing without our staff.

"Fuel and energy bills are through the roof, it's hard out there for everyone.

"That's why we are now introducing a £120 per month cost of living allowance extra payment for all staff irrespective of role because we are all part of the same team.

"It won't fix everything wrong with the world but hopefully it will ease the pressure on staff and their families just a little."

How can you try to keep energy bills down?

People have been quick to praise the move on social media, with one user writing: "To those employees receiving the payment it is about feeling acknowledged for what they do.”

Another said: “Brilliant more jobs should take a leaf out of your book and look after employees like this instead of trying to take from workers they should be giving a bit more back.”

A third wrote: “It would be nice to see all companies taking this stance and looking after their employees.”

While a fourth added: “Spot on for the recognition that without employees a business is nothing, looked after and valued employees will be employees that are willing to do a little more when needed.”

The cost of living is at an all time high
The cost of living is at an all time high. Picture: Alamy

Lothian Building Supplies was set up in Edinburgh more than 20 years ago.

This comes after the energy price cap was increased on April 1st, creating the biggest jump in household bills in living memory.

There are fears energy prices could soar even higher without further Government intervention, with head of Octopus Energy, Greg Jackson, warning: “Unless there’s a very rapid fall in the global prices, energy costs for people in the UK will stay high over the winter.”