Living Wage

The Real Living Wage is the only wage independently calculated to meet what workers and their families need to meet costs of living.

It is a voluntary rate of pay for employers that is calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation based on the best available data on living standards in the UK.

The Real Living Wage is currently £12.60 per hour.

Living Wage Week

Living Wage Week 2024 takes place from 4 to 11 November.

It is an annual celebration of the Real Living Wage movement. For further information about the week and events you might attend, visit the Living Wage Foundation’s website.

This year is particularly special to us because it marks 10 years since we were first accredited as a Living Wage Employer, meaning our staff have had the guarantee of being paid at least the Real Living Wage.

The Living Wage in Cambridge

We received official accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation in 2014.

We pay the Real Living Wage to all directly employed staff, as well as to agency workers. We also commit to paying the Real Living Wage to all contracted staff engaged through our procurement processes.

We are now working to encourage and support other businesses in Cambridge to become accredited Real Living Wage employers.

About 75 accredited employers have their head offices in Cambridge or are an independent business in the city. Many more national employers have local branches. These are included in the list below of accredited organisations operating in Cambridge.

Benefits of the Real Living Wage

We believe that the Real Living Wage is good for business. It can lead to:

  • reduction in staff turnover and sickness rates
  • less absenteeism
  • improved staff morale and productivity
  • better retention of staff
  • recruitment of committed staff
  • reputation as an ethical employer

It is also good for workers, helping them to:

  • provide properly for themselves and their family
  • rely less on benefits
  • not have to work excessive hours
  • have more time for their family

And it is good for Cambridge, leading to:

  • more money being spent locally
  • a high-quality, better paid workforce

Get help with becoming a Real Living Wage employer

If you are based in Cambridge and interested in becoming a Real Living Wage employer, our Equality and Anti-poverty Officer can:

  • answer your general queries about the Real Living Wage
  • identify particular benefits accreditation might have for your business
  • support you in applying for accreditation
  • help you to work through the implications of applying the Real Living Wage to contracted and subcontracted staff

National Living Wage

In 2016 the government introduced a higher statutory minimum wage rate for all staff over 25 years of age called the ‘national living wage’. The national living wage now applies to people over 21.

The government’s minimum wage rate is separate to the Real Living Wage rate calculated by the Living Wage Foundation. The Real Living Wage is independently and solely calculated according to the cost of living – what people need for an acceptable, basic standard of living. It’s a rate that employers choose to pay voluntarily to go beyond the statutory minimum.

The Real Living Wage is currently £12.60 per hour across the UK and £13.85 in London. The national living wage for over 21 year-olds by comparison is £11.44. From April 2025, this will be £12.20.

Guidance for employees

Contact Cambridge and District Citizens Advice if you:

  • have questions on how your change in income will impact on your benefits
  • want support in budgeting
  • have problems with your pay

Real Living Wage employers in Cambridge

More than 75 organisations who are based in Cambridge are accredited Real Living wage employers.

You can see all accredited employers in Cambridge on the Living Wage Foundation’s employer map.

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