The day begins
My day starts early.
I am not usually an early riser, but today has a purpose and I shoot out of bed. I get the train from my home in Brighton (Hove actually) to City Thameslink, a short walk from the Low Pay Commission offices. It’s a beautiful day and I have left with plenty of time.
Walking into the building, it is buzzing with civil switzerland rcs data servants. It’s my first time in a government building. I can’t tell if I am nervous or excited.
I collect my ID badge from the desk and make my way towards the lifts. However, only one out of five are in operation. Never a fan of lifts anyway, I take the stairs…to the seventh floor.
Panting, sweating – and with my face the colour of a tomato – I reach the top of the stairs.
There I see my colleague Dafni, this whole experience is new for her too! We make the usual small talk with the other researchers who have already arrived, but looking around I notice I am certainly the only one not eligible for the NLW- probably the youngest by about 10 years. This, however, makes me feel privileged to be there.
We take our seats about half way back in a room of about 40 people. On the Low Pay Commission is one of my lecturers from Sussex, Professor Richard Dickens, a familiar face. He is also the chair for our session.