UK Recruitment Glossary
Real Living Wage
In recruiter context
Set independently by the Living Wage Foundation based on actual cost of living. Voluntary — UK employers can choose to pay it as Living Wage Employer accreditation. Distinct from National Living Wage (the statutory minimum, £11.44/hour for over-21s as of April 2024). Roughly 14,000+ UK employers are accredited as Living Wage Employers including Aviva, Burberry, Chelsea FC, IKEA UK, Lush, Nationwide. Worth checking when evaluating offers at lower salary levels — Living Wage accreditation indicates the employer pays above legal floor and signals broader compensation philosophy.
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