What an incredible week! Living Wage Week 2023 was our biggest year yet. We’ve loved seeing how passionate our movement is about advocating for the real Living Wage and how much fun you've had and how creative you've been while spreading the word.
Thank you to everyone who took part to make it another amazing week. Here are just some of the highlights from this year...
Record number of events
Coming together at events is one of the key parts of Living Wage Week. This year there was a record 40 events held by the Living Wage Foundation, employers and external partners up and down the country. From Cornwall to Aberdeen, Belfast to Norwich, London to Newcastle, and Cardiff to Manchester, people celebrated being part of the Living Wage movement in all corners of the UK.
First ever Living Work Summit
Economists, politicians and business leaders met at the British Library in London on Thursday for our first ever Living Work Summit, where we explored what the future of responsible business and good work look like. There were talks, workshops and lots of lively discussion! Thanks to everyone who came to discuss ideas and learn!
We made a noise on social media
On Monday we trended on Twitter for hours and across the week the #LivingWageWeek hashtag reached millions of people! Thanks so much to everyone who helped spread the word about the Living Wage by sharing and engaging with Living Wage Week content on social media.
We celebrated 10 years of the Living Wage movement in Greater Manchester
The celebrations were particularly special in Greater Manchester this year as they celebrated ten years of the Living Wage campaign in the region. And there’s lots to celebrate! There are over 700 Living Wage Employers and 33 Living Hours Employers in Greater Manchester. Salford and Manchester have also been recognised for their plans to become Living Wage Cities, and Greater Manchester aims to become the first ever Living Wage City-Region. Watch this great video by Living Wage Employer Saz Media from their flagship Living Wage Week event in Salford.
More ad space posters than ever before
This week you might have spotted some of the brilliant Living Wage posters across the country raising awareness of the real Living Wage. Thanks to some generous Living Wage Employers, this year there were more posters than ever before - on motorways, London Bridge and Glasgow Central train stations, London City Airport and on the London Stadium - to spread the word about the importance of the real Living Wage far and wide.
Painting up the pavement in Norwich
The amazing Living Wage movement in Norwich made sure people couldn’t walk 5 metres in the town without being reminded that it was Living Wage Week and if they’re an employer they should accredit. Check out their Living Wage Week graffiti.
Norwich town crier
Just in case they missed the graffiti, on Monday the local town crier also announced the start of Living Wage Week on the steps of the town hall, as well as shouting about why local employers should accredit.
Bristol lights up for the Living Wage
On Tuesday night Bristol City Council lit up City Hall in the real Living Wage colours to mark the celebrations and highlight the importance of paying the real Living Wage.
Cardiff Castle flies the Living Wage flag
Similarly, Cardiff Council flew the Living Wage Foundation flags alongside the Welsh Dragon over Cardiff Castle in honour of Living Wage Week.
We welcomed new employers to the Living Wage movement
Our movement grew even bigger this Living Wage Week. There are now over 14,000 Living Wage Employers leading the way on tackling low pay. Employers who accredited this week include: Loganair, the first ever accredited UK airline; the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Arts in Newcastle; and Newcastle NHS Hospitals Trust.
Employers went even further in their commitment to good work
Some employers signed up to our other accreditations to provide even greater stability and security to their workers. the Scottish Government became a Living Hours Employer, and SSE Plc became our 25th Living Pension Employer! SSE Plc are now leading the way on good work by being an accredited Living Wage, Living Hours and Living Pension Employer. What a way to celebrate their 10 year anniversary of signing up to the real Living Wage!
Lots of amazing competition photos
We had so much fun seeing all your Living Wage Week competition entries! You really went beyond this year. We'll be announcing the winner soon.
Life on the Living Wage portrait exhibition
We unveiled a new photography exhibition in London celebrating the people who earn the real Living Wage, and the employers who choose to pay a real Living Wage to their staff. There’s still time to catch it at Somerset House East Wing on Saturday 11th November from 8:30am-10:00pm, it’s open to the public and free to attend.
And that's it for another Living Wage Week! Thank you to our amazing network of committed employers for your continued commitment to paying your workers in line with the cost of living at a time when it's needed most. We can’t wait to see you next year for another brilliant week of celebration!
The Living Wage team