National Minimum Wage, National Living Wage and real Living Wage - rates and overview

What is the real Living Wage?

The real Living Wage is a voluntary hourly pay rate set independently by the Living Wage Foundation. It is based on the cost of living and is different from the government’s statutory National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage. The real Living Wage is designed to give workers enough to cover everyday essentials and is updated on an annual basis each autumn.

The real Living Wage is a voluntary hourly rate set by the Living Wage Foundation. It is different from the National Living Wage, which is the legal minimum hourly rate for workers aged 21 and over set by the government.

For further information, see what is the National Minimum Wage, National Living Wage and real Living Wage?

Who should receive the real Living Wage?

The real Living Wage applies to all directly employed staff aged 18 or over. At the very minimum, employers should also ensure that any third-party contracted staff who work for two or more hours a week for eight consecutive weeks are paid the real Living Wage, or that a plan is in place to meet this requirement.

Why should employers pay the real Living Wage?

Paying the real Living Wage can help employers support staff by providing a more secure standard of living and demonstrating their commitment to fair pay. It can make good business sense: Living Wage employers report benefits including stronger reputation, better recruitment, improved retention, and better relationships between staff and managers.

How to get Living Wage accreditation

To become Living Wage accredited, an employer applies to the Living Wage Foundation by completing a simple online expression of interest form.

The Living Wage Foundation will then send you the license form to complete, in which you agree to pay the real Living Wage to all directly employed staff and, where required, to contracted staff.

If some contractors cannot be paid immediately, employers can usually agree on a timetable for bringing them up to the rate. Accreditation fees are based on organisation size.

Benefits of Living Wage accreditation

Access to support

Living Wage NI, on behalf of the Living Wage Foundation, provides a range of support to its accredited employers, including:

• guidance on paying the real Living Wage, including best practice on how to implement the rate increases and access to templates and toolkits.
• working with employers on publicity and media to promote their accreditation status.
• keeping employers up to date with news about the Living Wage campaign and the rates.
• invitations to exclusive networking events and opportunities for Living Wage employers.

Promoting Living Wage accreditation

Accredited employers can use the Living Wage Employer mark on their website, job adverts and premises. Accredited employers will also be listed publicly on the Living Wage Foundation’s employer map. Accreditation can also help with employer brand, public recognition, recruitment, staff morale, and signalling to customers and partners that the business is a responsible employer.

Become a Living Wage employer.

Further help and support

For further help and support, employers can contact Living Wage NI by emailing livingwageni@adviceni.net.