Living Hours

The Living Hours accreditation builds on the foundation of the Living Wage, ensuring that everyone has the secure working hours they need to thrive.

For over 20 years we have championed decent wages, working with nearly 16,000 employers, securing over £4.2 billion in pay rises for low paid workers and changing millions of lives. But high levels of insecure work are trapping millions of people in poverty, which makes it impossible to plan a life. Our Living Hours accreditation sets the standard for what good work looks like, ensuring all employees have the security they need to thrive.

We can work with you – no matter where you are on your journey - to tailor the process and help with the practicalities of implementing Living Hours.

Good for business, good for workers

Imagine trying to plan your budget when you don’t know when you’re going to be working or if you’ll get the hours and pay you need. Low paid insecure work means people are struggling to put food on the table and heat their homes.

Insecure work also disproportionately impacts minority ethnic workers, young workers and older workers. Nearly half of minority ethnic workers are given less than a week’s notice of shifts, compared to 28% of white workers.

Employers have a critical role to play in tackling insecure work and becoming a Living Hours Employer is a practical step that will help your employees.

It’s good for business too. When speaking to our Living Hours network, they report seeing improved recruitment and retention, productivity and an increased ability to differentiate themselves from competitors and win business.

The Living Hours accreditation allows employers to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to providing decent work and can enhance your responsible business strategy. It demonstrates to customers, clients, investors and peers that you are one of the UK’s leading organisations on decent work.

Enquire about Living Hours accreditation today to boost your Social Impact and help to tackle insecure hours.

Our Living Hours standard requires employers to provide workers with the right to

A contract that accurately reflects hours worked

At least four weeks’ shift notice, with guaranteed payment (full compensation) if shifts are cancelled within this notice period

A guaranteed minimum of 16 hours a week for all who want it

By extending Living Hours to outsourced workers, businesses can ensure that everyone who contributes to their success can live with dignity and respect both now and in the future. Read more about how you can extend Living Hours to your outsourced workers.

Why are Living Hours important?

One+All retain staff and spend less on recruitment by providing Living Hours alongside a real Living Wage

School-wear manufacturer One+All's Chair, Donald Moore, and Director of Colleague Support, Nic Ryan, told us about the business benefits to providing Living Hours alongside a real Living Wage, including better customer service, improved staff retention and lower recruitment costs.

Download our leaflet on Living Hours

Employment Rights Act 2025 and Living Hours: everything you need to know

Read our short briefing on the Employment Rights Act

Why become a Living Hours Employer?

With decent pay and work security, employees thrive and so do businesses. Happier and well supported employees are more productive and more likely to remain in their jobs.

Becoming a Living Hours Employer is a practical way to help tackle in-work poverty and support your employees to thrive.

As a Living Hours Employer, you join a movement of thousands of responsible businesses who have chosen to transform millions of people’s lives and raise the bar for what decent work looks like in the UK by providing employees with the secure working hours they need to thrive.

You can work with us - no matter where you are on your journey to provide the stability and security your workers need.

The Living Hours accreditation allows employers to go further and demonstrate their ongoing commitment to providing decent work. It can enhance their responsible business strategy and it demonstrates to customers, clients, investors and peers that they are one of the UK’s leading organisations on decent work.

Precarious pay and uncertain hours: insecure work in the UK Labour Market

Our latest report on insecure work in the UK analyses the scale, nature and impact of insecure work on workers. We find that more focus should be placed on job quality to improve the nature of work, and particularly, the experience of the UK’s low paid and insecure workforce.

Precarious Pay and Uncertain hours report cover

The Living Hours Index

The Living Hours Index provides an important new perspective on insecure work, building on previous research by the Living Wage Foundation and others on the scale and impact of insecure and unstable work.

Living Hours report

Our report highlights the extent of insecure and precarious work practices which is hitting those on the lowest incomes hardest. It also lays out our latest programme.

Events

Going Beyond the Living Wage: Living Hours & Living Pension Information Sessions

The Living Wage, Living Hours and Living Pension accreditations are a practical way to help tackle in-work and post-work poverty and support your employees to thrive. They are the marks of a responsible employer, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to do the right thing by your employees.

Come along to find out more about the Living Hours and Living Pension schemes, and get your questions answered. You will hear from the team on how the schemes were developed, the criteria for accreditation and how the process works. There will then be plenty of time for questions in an informal setting, allowing our team to address any queries you may have.