This Living Wage Week, West Lothian College proudly announces its accreditation as a Living Pension Employer, reinforcing its commitment to supporting staff in saving enough for a secure and dignified retirement.
West Lothian College, based in Livingston, delivers further and higher education to a diverse community of more than 8,000 students each year. By adopting the Living Pension standard, the college is setting a higher benchmark for pension contributions, ensuring employees can meet everyday needs when they retire.
Jackie Galbraith, Principal and CEO, commented:
‘As a proud Fair Work and Living Wage accredited employer, we’ve taken the step to become Living Pension accredited, reflecting our commitment to valuing our people – not just through fair pay today, but by helping them build financial security for the future. It’s a key part of how we attract, retain, and support our dedicated staff.’
The Living Pension scheme, launched in March 2023, offers a practical solution for employers to help workers build sufficient retirement savings. Currently, 4 in 5 UK workers – around 16 million people – saving into Defined Contribution schemes are not saving enough to cover basic living costs in retirement. Among low-paid workers, the situation is even worse, with only 1 in 20 saving enough to cover basic living costs later in life.
Living Pension Employers with Defined Contribution schemes commit to a voluntary savings target, either:
- Cash target: £3150 annually (with employer contributing at least £1840)
- Percentage target: 12% of salary (with employer contributing a minimum of 7%)
In May 2025, the Living Wage Foundation launched the Defined Benefit strand of Living Pension and West Lothian College accredited against this standard.
Lynn Anderson, Living Wage Scotland Manager said:
“We are delighted that West Lothian College has signed up as a Living Pension employer, providing stability and security for their workers now and in the future. Over the last ten years the Living Wage campaign has grown in strength and numbers, with over 4,000 accredited Living Wage employers in Scotland. The Living Pension builds on this by encouraging employers like West Lothian College to go further, helping staff save enough to meet basic needs in retirement.”