Chelsea became the first English professional club to pay their staff the living wage yesterday, putting pressure on other clubs to follow suit.

From the start of next year, the London club will pay all employed staff the living wage as a minimum — currently £9.15 in London and £7.85 outside of the capital.

The living wage will also extend to external contractors who work at their Cobham training ground and other areas where the club operates. By 2017, Chelsea hope to be paying staff employed by outside contractors the same rate as all other staff members.

And on the day that Hearts’ employees began earning the living wage, Chairman Bruce Buck was delighted that his club were not only leaders on the pitch but off it as well.

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck said: “As a responsible employer we are proud of this significant achievement for the club.

“We believe the move to the Living Wage underlines our commitment to ensuring that all our employees receive a fair rate of pay for their hard work and dedication. Quite simply it is the right thing to do.”

Living Wage Foundation Director Rhys Moore added: “The accreditation of Chelsea as a Living Wage employer marks a significant milestone in the campaign. We are delighted that more than 1,000 organisations are now accredited Living Wage employers, and we see Chelsea’s leadership on this issue as a mark of a responsible business.”

Luton Town announced on Wednesday that they were seeking accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation with Hatters chief executive Gary Sweet saying: “Luton Town Football Club sits right at the heart of the community. 

“Not only do we feel that we have a responsibility to our staff, to make sure that their level of pay affords them the ability to have a decent work-life balance, but we also have a desire to attract more talented people when recruiting.”

The announcement was made on the day that non-profit organisation Football Beyond Borders and Citizens UK marched to Premier League headquarters to demand that they support the living wage campaign and, more importantly, become living wage employers themselves.

A review of football finances this year by Deloitte found that Premier League clubs paid a total of £1.78 billion in wages during the 2012-13 season, with Wayne Rooney earning £1,785.71 an hour.