Lidl has announced plans to increase the wages of more than 17,000 of its employees in the new year.
The rates will rise to match the Living Wage Foundation's recommended pay, which increased for 180,000 workers today.
The German discounter said it will be increasing entry-level hourly rates from £8.75 to £9.00 per hour outside of London and £10.20 to £10.55 within the M25.
However instead of kicking in today - when the wage officially rises - workers will have to wait four months for their increase on 1 March 2019.
The voluntary rate, which Lidl will match, is paid by all employers accredited with the Living Wage Foundation .
It's currently is £1.17 per hour more - or almost 10% higher - than the Government’s legal minimum , which it calls the "national living wage".
However, that only applies to workers aged 25 and over - with independent experts warning it is not enough to live on.
Christian Härtnagel, Lidl UK CEO said: "Our employees are amongst the most talented and hard working in the industry, and we are committed to supporting them both inside and outside of the workplace.
"With our newest warehouse opening this week in Avonmouth, and a further five set to open in the coming years, along with our pipeline of new stores, we look forward to welcoming more people into the Lidl team."
In 2017, Lidl took on 2,500 new employees while more than 50 new branches are expected to open in 2019.
It also plans to open five new regional distribution centres by 2025 - all job vacancies are available to view on Lidl’s careers website .
What's the difference between the National Living Wage and Living Wage
The 'National Living Wage' and the 'Minimum Wage' are both set by the Government and all employers must comply.
However the 'Living Wage' (also known as the Real Living Wage) is a completely separate entity set up by the Living Wage Foundation . These rates are also reviewed annually.
It's not a legal requirement, but based on what campaigners believe workers should be earning (factoring in inflation and so on). Many employers - such as supermarkets - have chosen it in favour of it over the government's guidelines and therefore pay their workers more.
Currently the Living Wage stands at £9 an hour in the UK, or £10.55 if you live in London. The rates apply to all those aged 18 or over. Here is a full list of the employers that pay it .
