Lidl raises pay and doubles paid paternity leave.

Lidl will raise entry-level pay to £13.45 nationwide from March 1 and will double paid paternity leave to four weeks, rising to eight weeks after five years of service.

Lidl has announced another pay increase for staff and an extension of paid paternity leave. The change is described as the retailer's seventh pay rise since 2023 and is part of a further £29 million investment. The increases take effect from March 1 and come ahead of a national minimum wage rise in April. Lidl also reported ongoing store openings and job creation as it expands in Great Britain. Key details: - Entry-level pay nationwide will rise to £13.45 an hour from March 1, increasing to £14.45 with length of service. - New starter pay in London will increase to £14.80 an hour, rising to £15.30 with length of service. - Lidl said this move is its seventh pay rise since 2023, involves a further £29 million investment, and that the group employs more than 35,000 people. - Paid paternity leave will increase from two weeks to four weeks at full pay, and will rise to eight weeks of full pay after five years' service. - The announcement comes before the national minimum wage rises to £12.71 on April 1, and follows rival supermarket pay increases announced earlier. Summary: The pay and leave changes form part of Lidl's stated investment in staff during a period of expansion and higher sales. The new pay rates and paternity provisions take effect on March 1, while the national minimum wage increase is due on April 1.