The Living Wage is a voluntary pay rate independently set by the Living Wage Foundation. The ‘real’ Living Wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK. The current UK Living Wage is £10.90 an hour, or £11.95 in London. New rates will be announced on 24 October 2023.
Organisations which pay all their staff at least the Living Wage, and whose third-party contractors are also paid the Living Wage, can become a Living Wage Employer.
The Living Wage is different to the statutory “national living wage“, the national minimum wage for people aged 23 and over.