What is the living wage used by the Living Wage Foundation and how is it calculated?

The living wage, as used by the Living Wage Foundation, is the hourly rate of pay calculated independently to be the minimum that a worker needs to earn to cover the basic costs of living. An employer may choose to pay it, but has no statutory obligation to do so.

From 23 October 2024, the rate of the "real living wage" is set at £13.85 an hour in London and £12.60 an hour outside London, reflecting higher living costs in the capital than the rest of the UK. (These voluntary living wage rates should not be confused with the compulsory national living wage, see below.)

Employers can apply to the Living Wage Foundation for accreditation if all their directly employed and contracted staff are paid the voluntary living wage.

The living wage rates are calculated by the Resolution Foundation and are uprated annually.

The living wage as used by the Living Wage Foundation is different to the compulsory national living wage, ie the statutory national minimum wage rate that must be paid to workers aged 21 and over. The rate of the national living wage from 1 April 2024 is £11.44 per hour. Future rises will be recommended by the Low Pay Commission. This statutory rate is not connected to the rate used by the Living Wage Foundation.