Warner Bros Discovery is handing many of its UK and Ireland staff a one-off payment of £1,000 to help combat the cost of living crisis. All central Warner Bros Discovery staff who earn under £60,000 will receive the one-off lump payment in February and will get a free lunch once a week until April and other benefits, we’ve learned. The move doesn’t cover those hired for production therefore staff at Warner Bros Discovery Television’s UK subsidiaries such as Wall to Wall and Twenty Twenty won’t benefit.Warner Bros Discovery declined to state how many would benefit from the measures but said it would be a “considerable number of employees.”The UK’s cost of living crisis has been biting hard, and media companies have been wrestling with how to help their lower-earning workers as inflation rockets.Sky gave 70% of its staff a £1,000 bonus over two instalments, with the second of those landing in bank accounts this month. Warner Bros Discovery’s payment will be in a single tranche.“We want to help those most impacted by inflation and will be making a cost-of-living payment to eligible employees on base salaries under £60,000 per annum,” Warner Bros Discovery wrote in an email to staff seen by Deadline.The on-ground-response to the bonus was described by one insider as “extremely positive, with lots of juniors barely believing their eyes, all super happy and relieved.”In a statement, a Warner Bros Discovery spokeswoman said: “We are committed to supporting our employees in the UK and Ireland and this is just one step we are taking. As well as financial contributions, we are also providing access to a number of initiatives including free lunches and making a wide range of discounts across everyday items available to all employees. We continue to look at ways to offer support that can make a material difference to the everyday cost of living.”For Warner Bros Discovery, the payment brings some much needed positive internal and external PR after a year of cuts and restructuring that followed the coming together of Warner Bros. and Discovery, some of which impacted the non-U.S. business.
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