6 Aug 2025
Manchester Cat Clinic has become the first vet practice to achieve triple accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation.
Chris Simpson
Job Title
Manchester Cat Clinic co-founder Ellie Lee.
Founded in 2023, the clinic has received Real Living Wage, Living Hours, and Living Pension accreditation, becoming only the second employer in Greater Manchester to achieve all three certificates.
Clinic co-founder Ellie Lee said she and fellow founder, husband Daniel Lee, were aware of their “social responsibility” as business owners and that Living Wage accreditation was one of their goals “from the get-go.”
Living Wage Employers pay employees at least the UK living wage (currently £12.60 per hour outside London), while Living Hours accreditation guarantees staff a reliable work schedule and hours.
The more recently launched Living Pension accreditation requires employers to make pension contributions of 12% of an employees’ salary rather than the typical 8%.
Dr Lee added: “I couldn’t really live with myself if somebody worked for me on reception for 20 years and then retired and then would struggle to afford to feed themselves. It just seems wrong.”
Leading sector organisations did voice concerns ahead of the national living wage and national insurance contribution increases in April, suggesting the rises could intensify the financial strain on practices.
But Dr Lee said she did “not really” share such concerns, admitting that while national insurance has “had a bit of an impact”, the living wage “didn’t really affect us” because “we’ve planned and budgeted for that months in advance”.
She said while the practice has been “fortunate” to have high demand for its services and busy workload, their vigilance with their budget and dedication to efficiency have been key, adding: “It’s just been about being really organised and efficient and making the place run really smoothly and not having any waste in the way that we work day-to-day.”
The co-founders drew on their experience as locum vets, having gathered ideas on what did and didn’t work at other practices.
Dr Lee said: “It’s not necessarily us being geniuses. We just run a tight ship,” saying the practice had needed to employ some “tactical price increases” but their pricing “is very average” compared to competitors.
She added: “It’s very doable [to] charge a sensible amount and pay your staff fairly and still make a profit.”
Around 27 veterinary organisations in the UK are accredited Living Wage Employers, primarily independent practices.
Dr Lee is hoping other practices will follow suit. She said: “It’s nice to be an example to other practices, especially I think some of the larger chains, sometimes people can feel a little bit like they’re just a number, or that they’re not as valued.
“It’s been really challenging, but it’s very achievable to own your own business and to run it the way that you want, to run it with your values, and be able to create a workplace that people are really happy to work in and really well supported.”
