At one in five, NI has the highest rate of jobs paid below the Living Wage in the UK. However, there is a significant movement to address in work poverty and to promote Good Jobs underway to change that. Last June, Advice NI launched Living Wage NI in partnership with the Living Wage Foundation and funded by the Department for the Economy. Living Wage NI aims make NI a Living Wage Region by raising awareness of the real Living Wage and encouraging employers across the region to obtain Living Wage accreditation.
Unlike the government-mandated National Living Wage, the real Living Wage is an independently calculated hourly rate based on the actual cost of living. As of October 2024, the rate stands at £12.60 per hour across the UK and £13.85 in London. This wage is designed to ensure that employees earn enough to meet their everyday needs, and it applies to all workers aged 18 and above. Employers voluntarily commit to paying this rate to both their direct employees and contracted staff.
Launched in June 2024, Living Wage NI is dedicated to advocating for fair wages throughout NI. The project provides support and resources to employers seeking Living Wage accreditation, fostering a culture of fair pay and highlighting the benefits of offering a wage that reflects the true cost of living. By promoting this standard, Living Wage NI strives to reduce in-work poverty and promote Good Jobs improving the quality of life for workers across the region.
The movement has seen encouraging progress. As of March 2025, over 140 employers in Northern Ireland have committed to paying the real Living Wage, positively impacting more than 4,700 workers. The Living Wage is not just good for workers, it is also good for business with improved recruitment and retention of staff as well as reputational benefits. Payment of the real Living Wage also strengthens the economy. Recent research by Cardiff University found that if a quarter of low paid jobs were uplifted to the Living Wage, it would mean an extra £47million circulating in the local economy being spent in local businesses creating jobs.
At Living Wage NI, we are keenly aware that in Scotland they have 29 times more Living Wage Employers than in NI despite having a population only three times the size of NI. However, Living Wage Scotland launched in 2014 and has had a ten-year head start. With almost 4,000 business signed up as Living Wage Employers, Scotland is the region with the lowest number of jobs paid below the Living Wage at 11.4%. Scotland has demonstrated what is possible when there is a local presence on the ground promoting the Living Wage and supporting local businesses with the accreditation process.
Since Living Wage NI launched last year, we have seen a significant rise in the number of local employers signing up for accreditation. Join us at the Imagine! festival on Thursday 27th of March at 10am in Clifton House to find out more about the real Living Wage and how it can help us achieve a future where fair pay is the standard across all sectors in Northern Ireland. We will be joined by a diverse range of our Living Wage Employer Network including,
Come along and hear directly from these employers about why the Living Wage is good for workers and business. We hope to see you there.
‘Making NI a Living Wage Region’ takes place at Clifton House on North Queen Street on Thursday 27th March at 10.00am. You can book free tickets here.
