To celebrate Living Wage Week, Ealing Council has been encouraging employers to sign up and commit to paying their staff a wage that reflects the high cost of living in London.
The real Living Wage is an hourly rate of pay, currently set at £13.15, which is higher than employers are required to pay by law.
Living Wage Week
Living Wage Week 2023 runs until 12 November and features a series of nationwide events to encourage businesses to sign-up to become living wage employers. Visit the Living Wage website for more information.
What is the real living wage?
The real living wage is different to the national minimum wage, which employers have to pay. Instead, the real living wage is paid voluntarily by almost 14,000 UK employers who believe their staff deserve a wage which meets their everyday needs, rather than the government minimum.
Currently, the real living wage across the UK is £12, rising to £13.15 for those living in London. This is distinct from the minimum wage set by the government, which is sometimes called the ‘living wage’. The council has been a registered living wage employer since 2013 and to encourage businesses in the borough to sign-up, the council offers a business rate discount.
Already a living wage employer?
Take part in Living Wage Week by raising awareness of the movement and showing your support for better pay conditions for your staff.
Not a living wage employer?
If you are not registered as a living wage employer yet, show your commitment to decent living incomes and sign up now.
Why become a living wage employer?
- 94% of living wage employers say they have benefited from the accreditation
- 87% of businesses reported it enhanced their general reputation
- 62% say it has improved their recruitment of employees
- 66% of employers say it helped them differentiate from others in their industry
- Get a business rate discount from Ealing Council.
Amanda Mason is manager at Act One Cinema in Acton, which has signed-up to become a living wage employer. She said: “At ActOne Cinema and Cafe we are an accredited London living wage employer and one of the 14,000 UK businesses who believe their staff deserve a wage which meets their needs. The ActOne team sought accreditation in March 2023 and have since been proud to display the London Living Wage Employer logo across our venue – letting all our visitors know that our staff have a fair wage. The cinema and cafe depend on the loyalty and respect of our 7 paid staff to ensure the venue operates smoothly and our setting is always welcoming to all visitors. It is essential that our staff can trust us to pay them fairly for their hard work.
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Ealing Council and local traders, so our borough can become a place where everyone earns a decent living wage.”
Councillor Louise Brett, cabinet member for decent living incomes said:
“I’m proud to say that Ealing Council has been a living wage employer since 2013. We encourage all employers across Ealing to register to offer the real living wage, so that their employees can earn a decent income that provides for the actual costs of living, not just the government minimum.
“With the current and ongoing cost of living crisis, the council is keen to do everything possible to ensure that residents have access to good jobs with decent living incomes that can provide for their everyday needs. For businesses, this is a great opportunity to show that you truly care about your staff, whilst improving your ability to attract and retain good employees over your competitors.”
