Listen to this story Members can listen to an AI-generated audio version of this article. 1.0x Audio narration uses an AI-generated voice. 0:00 0:00 Become a member to listen to this article Subscribe One of England’s most influential academy trusts has stopped offering the real living wage to staff this year, blaming stretched budgets and falling rolls. , which runs 39 schools, made the admission as cleaners in one of its London academies vote on whether to strike over the move. The union representing the workers argued that the pay changes have forced the lowest paid “to shoulder the burden of financial pressures while others higher up the organisation remain protected”. Venessa Willms Ark Schools managing director Venessa Willms said: “Ark has taken the very difficult decision to pause increasing pay in line with the real living wage this year. “This decision was not taken lightly and reflects the significant financial pressures facing both Ark and the wider schools sector, particularly in light of falling rolls.” 3% rise The trust became an accredited real living wage employer in 2020-21. All employees and contracted staff were subsequently guaranteed this as a minimum. The real living wage is different to the national living wage, which is a legal minimum hourly rate all employers must pay workers aged 21 or over. In April, the real living wage, which is a higher, voluntary rate, rose by 6.7 per cent to £13.45 per hour, from £12.60 the previous financial year. In London, it rose to £14.80. But instead, Ark Schools, as well as the wider Ark charity, funded only a 3 per cent pay increase for all contracted workers. ‘Review’ promised Willms stressed that this was the “same increase” given to directly employed central staff and that all employees “continue to be paid at or above the government’s national living wage”. She added: “Ark was, for a number of years, one of just a handful of multi-academy trusts to commit to the real living wage, and we continue to prioritise fair and sustainable pay for our staff. “We have committed to review our approach as part of next year’s budgeting cycle.” This week, the United Voices of the World (UVW) is balloting 16 outsourced cleaners at the Ark Globe Academy in London over strike action as the “partial uplift” takes their earnings to £14.27 per hour. The union said the company the cleaners work for could not plug the wage gap because of “contractual arrangements” with Ark. UVW general secretary Nelly Ospino said the employees – all of whom are migrants – “are already among the lowest-paid workers in the school”. She added: “Every penny matters when you are living from month to month. The lowest-paid workers are effectively being asked to shoulder the burden of financial pressures while others higher up the organisation remain protected. “Outsourcing continues to create a two-tier workforce where migrant workers are treated as disposable and denied the dignity, security and respect they deserve.” Ark ‘building reserves’ The union also pointed to Ark Schools boss Lucy Heller’s £216,300 wages last year. Her pay rose slightly from £214,931, an increase of 0.6 per cent. Accounts show Ark Schools’ reserves stood at £6,281,000 by the end of 2024-25, up from £5,225,000. But the trust said it was “working to rebuild reserves” to the following a “period of extensive Covid-related investment”. With the ballot due to close on 25 June, the team could walk out next month. Willms said that Ark would work with UWV and staff “to help resolve any concerns in a constructive and amicable way”.