Real Living Wage rise boosts pay for thousands

11 Nov 2019

Over 210,000 UK workers are set to benefit after the Real Living Wage increased to £9.30 an hour.

The Living Wage Foundation, the charity which sets the voluntary wage, has raised the national Real Living Wage rate by 30p. The London Living Wage has risen by 20p to £10.75 per hour.

The Foundation said that the difference between its own Real Living Wage and the government minimum will be more than £2,000 a year nationally, and almost £5,000 a year in London.

The government's National Living Wage (NLW) is currently £8.21 for workers aged 25 years or older, and the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for workers aged between 21 and 24 is £7.70 an hour. The NMW for those aged between 18 and 20 is £6.15 per hour, and £4.35 an hour for those aged 16 or 17. Apprentices are currently entitled to at least £3.90 per hour.

This year, the Living Wage Foundation has accredited around 1,500 employers, taking the overall total to just under 6,000. These include banks, insurers, universities, fashion brands, airports and football clubs. The charity is calling on all major employers to commit to going beyond the government minimum.

Commenting on the increase, Katherine Chapman, Director of the Living Wage Foundation, said: 'Good businesses know that the Real Living Wage means happier, healthier and more motivated workers, and that providing workers with financial security is not only the right thing to do, but has real business benefits.'