A CAMPAGN urging businesses to pay staff the Living Wage has reached a major milestone after signing up its 250th business.

Brighton Chamber has run the Living Wage Campaign for four years, making the case to businesses of paying a Living Wage.

Launched in 2012, the Brighton & Hove Living Wage Campaign aims to persuade businesses to voluntarily pay all employees at least the Living Wage rate, currently £8.25 per hour.

Set independently and updated annually, the rate is calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK and is the amount required for people to live a decent life, rather than just survive.

The latest sign-ups include solicitors Griffith Smith Farrington Webb, social media agency Purple Rose Digital, consultancy Gamification+, Lewes Town Council, Vandu Language Services, Sun Rose Care, charity project FareShare Sussex, Skerritts Chartered Financial Planners, cafe Pelican on Portland, Account Management Now, Brighton Plumbers Direct, The Three Chiefs pub kitchen, growth hacking marketing agency Web Smarty, Brighton Catering Supplies, ticket advertising company Ticketmedia and bike courier service Recharge Cargo.

Raise Bakery was the 250th business to sign up. It is an independent family run business with nine staff, a shop in Hove and a bakery in Worthing.

Jeremy Jacobs, managing director of Raise, said: “It’s important that the companies that are paying a fair wage are recognised, as it can help encourage other companies to follow suit.

"Being a born and bred Brightonian myself it’s wonderful to see another forward thinking scheme that goes to show how great the city is.”

Carol Lewis, President of Brighton Chamber said: "We hope this will encourage other businesses in the city to join, making Brighton an even better place to do business.”

The campaign is the first and only business led campaign in the UK and is supported by Brighton & Hove UNISON and Brighton & Hove City Council.

Council leader Warren Morgan said: "This is a landmark in the Living Wage campaign, one we are committed to working with businesses on. Paying the Living Wage makes sense for business and is good for the city. We all need to support a local economy where people have money to spend and a city where people can afford to live."