Real Living Wage rises for 500k UK workers to £13.45, £14.80 in London

Almost half a million UK workers employed by organisations accredited to the Living Wage Foundation will receive a pay rise in April after the foundation announced higher Real Living Wage rates. The national hourly rate will increase by 85 pence to £13.45, while the London rate will rise by 95 pence to £14.80, increases of about 6.7% and 6.9% respectively.

The Living Wage Foundation, which independently calculates the Real Living Wage based on the cost of essentials, said more than 16,000 employers have committed to pay the revised rates. Employers who sign up undertake to pay the wage to all directly employed staff and to workers supplied by third party contractors, including cleaners and security staff. The foundation said the rise will mean a full‑time worker on the Real Living Wage earns about £2,418 more a year than someone on the statutory minimum for adults outside London, and about £5,050 more in London.

The Real Living Wage is voluntary and distinct from the national minimum wage, which is legally binding and set by government. The Living Wage Foundation calculates its rate by measuring the costs of rent, bills, food, childcare and other essentials. The foundation said...