Costa Coffee to boost baristas' pay starting 1 April

Starting pay will increase to £12.60 from £12 per hour.

Costa Coffee announced a pay increase for over 15,000 team members across 1,500 company-owned stores, effective 1 April.

This £8m investment raises the starting national pay rate for its baristas to £12.60 per hour, from £12 per hour.

Barista Maestros, who are team leaders and coffee trainers, will see their hourly pay increase by an average of almost 5%, to at least £12.93, from £12.33.

Those who complete role-specific training will then see their hourly rate boosted by a further 50p to £13.43.

Team members in central London will receive an extra £1 per hour than the national rate, bringing their starting rate to £13.60 per hour for baristas, £13.93 per hour for new barista maestros, or £14.43 once role-specific training has been completed.

Targeted bonuses are also offered to high-performing store teams.