This recognition reflects our conviction that staff should get a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work. Commenting on announcement of our accreditation in March 2021, Dr Emma Wilcox, Chief Executive at SocEnv, said:
We felt it was only right to join thousands of other organisations in demonstrating our commitment to pay the real Living Wage. At SocEnv we believe wholeheartedly that our staff should be fairly recognised with wages that reflect their hard work. This accreditation helps demonstrate our commitment, and we hope this encourages other employers to follow suit and become part of this growing movement towards fair wages for all.”
About the Living Wage
The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to what people need to make ends meet. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that choose to take a stand by ensuring their staff earn a wage that meets the costs and pressures they face in their everyday lives.
The UK Living Wage in 2022 is £9.90 per hour. There is a separate London Living Wage rate of £11.05 per hour to reflect the higher costs of transport, childcare and housing in the capital. These figures are calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation and overseen by the Living Wage Commission, based on the best available evidence on living standards in London and the UK.
The Living Wage Foundation is the organisation at the heart of the movement of businesses, organisations and individuals who campaign for the simple idea that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. The Living Wage Foundation receives guidance and advice from the Living Wage Advisory Council. The Foundation is supported by our principal partners: Aviva; IKEA; Joseph Rowntree Foundation; KPMG; Linklaters; Nationwide; Nestle; Resolution Foundation; Oxfam; Trust for London; People’s Health Trust; and Queen Mary University of London.
What about the Government’s national living wage?
In July 2015 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the UK Government would introduce a compulsory ‘national living wage’. This new government rate is a new minimum wage rate for staff over 25 years old. It was introduced in April 2016 and the rate is currently £9.50 per hour as of March 2022. The rate is different to the Living Wage rates calculated by the Living Wage Foundation. The government rate is based on median earnings while the Living Wage Foundation rates are calculated according to the cost of living in London and the UK.
