‘Making London Work for All’ launches to further tackle low pay and insecure work
‘Making London Work for All’ launches to further tackle low pay and insecure work across the capital
Today, a coalition of civil society, businesses, and government launch the ‘Making London Work for All’ initiative. Led by Citizens UK and the Living Wage Foundation and funded by City Bridge Foundation, Trust for London and the Greater London Authority, it aims to lift those in the capital out of in-work poverty and to tackle precarious work with the Living Wage, the Living Hours and the Living Pension accreditations. Key sector focuses for the project are health and social care, sports, creative and cultural, and planning and construction.
The first phase of the project, ‘Making London a Living Wage City’, ran from September 2021 to August 2025. Led by local communities, it doubled the number of Living Wage Employers in the capital over four years, secured 70,308 pay rises nationally through London-headquartered employers, and generated a total of £628m in economic value for London.
Despite the movement’s growth in the capital, over 13% of jobs in London are still paid below the London Living Wage, which currently stands at £14.80 per hour. London Boroughs are still over-represented amongst the areas with the worst levels of low pay.
As low pay is connected to other issues, the ‘Making London Work for All’ project will ensure that fair pay is part of a broader strategy for justice, by addressing the link between health inequalities, housing and immigration with work. It will establish both Equity Neighbourhoods and Worker Centres to further root the campaign in community leadership.
Bringing together workers with experience of low pay and leaders from civil society and business in the project’s key industries, the Steering Group will guide and champion the work over the coming years to ensure the project’s success.
This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the powerful movement for a real Living Wage, which to date has put over £1.97 billion of extra wages back into the pockets of low-paid Londoners. In London, this has helped over 150,000 low-paid workers, with over 4,000 London-based employers currently accredited with the Living Wage Foundation.
“I’m proud that since I’ve become Mayor there’s been an almost 60 per cent increase in the London Living Wage, supporting thousands of Londoners.
This new phase of the campaign will expand on all the great work we’ve done so far, by addressing Living Hours and Living Pensions, to ensure people have job security in some of our most critical industries – including construction, and health and social care.
There are now more than 4,300 Living Wage employers in the capital, and it is thanks to them that we have been able to support Londoners with living wage pay rises each year. I’m looking forward to working with Citizens UK, the Living Wage Foundation and thousands more businesses as we continue to build a better, fairer, and more prosperous London for everyone.”
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan
Through the first phase of this work, tens of thousands of workers across the city and beyond were lifted out of in-work poverty and more than £330million was put back into the pockets of Londoners. But there are still too many workers in London not being paid a wage or given hours they can live off. We don’t accept that is the way it has to be.
As we step into the new phase of the project, Making London Work for All, we look towards a future where every worker is given the dignity of the real Living Wage and the security of Living Hours and Living Pension. We’ve seen the incredible change that can be achieved when communities, businesses and local government decision makers come together, and we know we can go further. London can be a city that works for everyone.
Pete Brierley, Citizens UK Director, London
Being a member of the Making London Work for all Steering Group is for me is point of principle. At a young age we are told that if you work hard, we will make money and thrive. Such are the structural challenges we face in London this no longer holds true. I know many people who work hard; they are clients in our food banks! The Steering Group is an opportunity to craft meaningful change!
Bob Bevil, Citizens UK community leader and Steering Group member
I know what low pay feels like, the stress of another bill to pay and choosing between heating and eating. Through this movement, I’ve seen how powerful change can be when communities, employers and local government come together. I’m excited about the next phase of this work, tackling low pay and the wider pressures families face in our city. Because ultimately, this work is about more than wages – it’s about families having time with their loved ones, workers paying the bills without fear, and people walking into their jobs with the security and dignity of a fair wage. I’m proud to be part of a movement making sure London works for everyone who calls it home.
Gina Rodriguez, Citizens UK community leader and Steering Group member
The Making London a Living Wage City campaign, which was the first phase of this work, was a partnership between the Mayor of London, Citizens UK and the Living Wage Foundation that aimed to tackle this low pay in the Capital, supported by Trust for London. Together, we’re continuing to build a London that works for all.