In this blog, Clare Duncan, Senior Communications and Marketing Manager at the Living Wage Foundation, shares insights from new public polling conducted by Survation. The findings reveal just how far awareness of the real Living Wage has come, and what it means for workers, employers and consumers.  

Yes, you heard that right. Three in four people in the UK now say they have heard about the real Living Wage, according to new public polling by Survation that looked into awareness levels of the Living Wage brand.  

That’s millions of people of people in the UK who recognise the real Living Wage; a higher wage rate that we champion which reflects the actual cost of living. This is absolutely testament to the strength and growth of the Living Wage movement over time, and to every employer who’s chosen to do the right thing and become Living Wage accredited.  

Nearly 25 years ago, the campaign for a real Living Wage began with citizens marching through East London, calling for decent, liveable wages. That paved the way for the launch of the Living Wage Employer accreditation in 2011. Since then, the number of UK employers voluntarily choosing to pay the real Living Wage has skyrocketed to over 16,000, including household names like LUSH, IKEA and Everton, as well as thousands of smaller independent businesses.  

As a result, our movement has transformed employment and transformed lives. Today, 1 in 7 employees works for a Living Wage Employer, and the Living Wage Employer mark has become a recognised symbol of a responsible employer. 

This summer, we worked with polling company Survation (1) (themselves an accredited Living Wage Employer) to ask over 2,100 UK adults whether they were aware of the Living Wage campaign and brand. Here’s what we found…