Voluntary living wage rises to £14.10 across UK
Nearly half a million workers are due a higher hourly rate, although the increase is not legally binding.
The voluntary real Living Wage has risen to £14.10 an hour across the UK and £15.45 in London. The Living Wage Foundation said nearly half a million workers at almost 17,000 accredited employers are covered by the increase.
The new rates were announced on Thursday by the Living Wage Foundation, which campaigns for pay based on the cost of living rather than solely on statutory wage rules. The UK rate has increased by 65p, or 4.8%, while the London rate has also increased by 65p, or 4.4%.
The foundation estimates that a full-time worker on the new UK rate would receive more than £1,250 in additional annual pay compared with the previous rate. It also calculates that the new rate is more than £2,700 a year above the statutory National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over.
The real Living Wage is voluntary. Accredited employers are asked to introduce the new rates as soon as possible and no later than 1 May 2027. They must pay the rate to directly employed staff and have arrangements covering regular subcontracted workers.
The statutory National Living Wage remains £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, following an increase that took effect in April. Different legal minimum rates apply to younger workers and apprentices, so the voluntary figures are not a replacement for the national minimum wage system.
The Living Wage Foundation said more than 2,000 employers had joined its scheme over the past year. It said one in seven UK employees now works for an accredited Living Wage employer, while millions of jobs remained below the voluntary rate.
The announcement leaves employers with a choice between adopting a higher benchmark and limiting pay to the legal minimum. The foundation argues that higher pay can help address in-work poverty and staff retention; employers that do not participate may point to the additional cost of labour and the risk of higher prices or fewer hours. The latest announcement does not measure those effects.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The Living Wage Foundation announced voluntary hourly rates of £14.10 outside London and £15.45 in London for 2026-27.
- The statutory National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.71 an hour from April 2026.
- Accredited employers are asked to implement the voluntary rates by 1 May 2027.
Left
Arguments A higher minimum should be made compulsory because workers face living costs regardless of whether their employer has joined a voluntary scheme. Supporters would argue that public policy should reduce in-work poverty and prevent firms competing by underpaying staff.
Values Fair pay, worker power, economic security and reducing inequality.
Consequences A statutory increase could raise incomes and reduce reliance on benefits, but could also increase costs for employers and put pressure on prices, staffing levels or small-business viability.
Centre
Arguments The voluntary scheme provides a practical benchmark while allowing employers and government to assess affordability across different sectors and regions. The institutional approach is to combine statutory minimums with evidence-based voluntary standards.
Values Evidence, gradual reform, affordability and a balance between worker protection and employment.
Consequences More employers may adopt the rate without a universal legal obligation, but coverage will remain uneven and workers at non-accredited employers may see no change.
Right
Arguments Pay should be set through labour markets and individual employers' ability to pay, not by a cost-of-living benchmark imposed across the economy. A sharp rise in labour costs could reduce hiring, hours or investment, especially in lower-margin sectors.
Values Business freedom, employment, competitiveness and limiting state intervention.
Consequences Keeping the higher rate voluntary may protect jobs and business flexibility, but leaves some full-time workers below the foundation's estimate of a decent living income.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The article is based on the foundation's announcement and official government figures for the statutory minimum wage. Claims about coverage and annual pay differences are explicitly attributed to the Living Wage Foundation.
- confirmed The voluntary real Living Wage is £14.10 across the UK and £15.45 in London from 15 October 2026. — Confirmed by the Living Wage Foundation's announcement and calculation report. source
- confirmed The increase is 65p in both the UK rate and the London rate. — The foundation gives the previous rates and the new rates, showing a 65p increase in each case. source
- confirmed Nearly half a million workers at almost 17,000 employers are covered. — Reported by the Living Wage Foundation in its announcement. source
- confirmed The new rates are voluntary and employers are asked to implement them by 1 May 2027. — Confirmed by the foundation's guidance and FAQs. source
- confirmed The statutory National Living Wage is £12.71 for workers aged 21 and over from April 2026. — Confirmed by the Low Pay Commission's 2026 report on GOV.UK. source
- confirmed The foundation estimates the new rate is more than £2,700 a year above the statutory minimum. — This is presented as the foundation's own calculation in its announcement. source
Editor's note
The rate announcement, its voluntary status, employer deadline and comparison with the statutory minimum are clear. The foundation's estimate of affected workers and annual pay difference is attributed to the foundation; no independent assessment of employment effects was available in the sources used.Sources
- Real Living Wage increases to £14.10 in UK and £15.45 in London — Living Wage Foundation
- Calculating the Real Living Wage for London and the rest of the UK: 2026 — Living Wage Foundation
- The National Minimum Wage in 2026 — Low Pay Commission and GOV.UK
More on this in other media
- The Guardian — „living wage”
- BBC News — „living wage”
- Sky News — „living wage”