Living Wage Increases From Today

2nd November 2015

The UK's voluntary living wage, as promoted by the Living Wage Foundation campaign group, is to be increased by 40p an hour.

The new rate will rise to £8.25 per hour from £7.85.

The rate in London will rise to £9.40 an hour.

More than 2,000 businesses, with almost 70,000 workers, are signed up to the scheme.

The government's national minimum wage stands at £6.70 per hour, but a new National Living Wage for over-25s of £7.20 will be introduced in April next year.

The living wage is an informal benchmark, not a legally enforceable minimum level of pay.

The national minimum wage is the compulsory minimum level of pay set by the business secretary each year on the advice of the Low Pay Commission. It stands at £6.70 an hour for adults aged 21 and over, and £5.30 for those aged 18 to 20.