COMPANIES are gearing up to sack staff in a bid to maintain their profit levels after the government’s so-called living wage is introduced, a human resources expert reveals today.

Half of employers believe the new minimum hourly rate of £7.20 will affect their wage bill, according to a survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and the Resolution Foundation

But trade unions have vowed to fight back against bosses shifting the costs of the rebranded minimum wage for the over-25s.