By paying the real Living Wage, employers are voluntarily taking a stand to ensure their employees can earn a wage which is enough to live on.
As well as it being the right thing to do, there is a growing body of evidence demonstrating the business benefits of becoming a Living Wage employer.
The Living Wage rates are independently calculated based on the real cost of living in the UK and London.
The new rates for 2023/24 are:
- £12 per hour UK rate; and
- £13.15 London rate. See: [Real Living Wage increases to £12 in UK and £13.15 in London | Living Wage Foundation](https://www.livingwage.org.uk/news/real-living-wage-increases-%C2%A312-uk-and-%C2%A31315-london)
Small businesses can now benefit from a new electricity-cost relief scheme that was launched on 1 October. Applications close on 30 November 2026.
New laws from the beginning of the month make it critical for companies that rely on subcontractors, agency staff or complex labour supply chains to review their compliance procedures to identify employees who do not have the right to work in the UK.