If you have been championing fair pay, then you could be a Living Wage Champion award winner!
Whether you've been spreading the word about the real Living Wage, Living Hours, Living Pensions, or a Global Living Wage - we want to celebrate you! Find out more about how to enter the 2026 Living Wage Champion Awards below.
Champion Awards 2026 - a milestone year
In 2026, the Living Wage Champion Awards celebrate 25 years of one of the 21st century's most successful civil society movements. This awards ceremony recognises and elevates the individuals and organisations transforming work and championing fair pay. Winners have gone above and beyond to grow the movement and deliver real change for workers, workplaces and communities.
Hundreds of entries flood in annually from across our network. Shortlists are announced for the awards in April, with winners revealed at our flagship July ceremony. Winners receive a prestigious trophy, national recognition, positive media coverage and a place at one of the year's most significant Living Wage events.
As we mark 25 years of people-powered change, the 2026 awards spotlight those who made it happen and inspire the next generation to keep building work that works for everyone.
More information about the categories and the links to the submission forms can be found further down the page.
Who can enter?
- In every category except Living Wage Champion of the Year, entrants must be an accredited Living Wage Employer or a Recognised Service Provider (RSP).
- Recognised Service Providers may enter the RSP Champion category.
- You may submit an entry on behalf of another individual or organisation, even if it is not your own.
- You can enter more than one category. We encourage you to choose the categories that best reflect your organisation’s strengths and impact
You should enter the awards if you've been doing any of the following:
- Attended a LWF media training session
- Participated in National Media (print, TV, radio)
- Participated in Regional Media (print, TV, radio)
- Been active on social media about Living Wage
- Spoken about fair pay at industry/public events
- Hosted an event(s) on Living Wage
- Hosted VIP/MP visit relating to Living Wage
- Engaged regularly with Living Wage Foundation
- Provided content for employer Christmas/Valentine's gift guide or other promotional opportunities
- Used our digital pack on your social media channels during Living Wage Week
- Provided peer to peer support for other employers
- Contributed to LWF internal learning/policy eg steering group membership
- Influenced other organisations to contact LWF about accreditation
Award Categories for the 2026 Champion Awards
Living Wage Champion of the Year
Local Champion
- Raised the profile of the action group through great comms coverage in national/local media or on social media in the past twelve months
- Met or surpassed significant targets on their action plan in the last twelve months
- Have demonstrated evidence of working as a collective rather than one individual or organisation driving the work
Apply Here
RSP Champion
Living Hours Champion
Living Pension Champion
Third Sector – Living Wage Leader Award
Large Organisation – Living Wage Leader Award
SME Organisation – Living Wage Leader Award
Public Sector - Living Wage Leader Award
NB: this award does not recognise any work done as part of a Living Wage Places Action Group - public sector orgs who would like to be recognised for work they have done as part of an Action Group should enter the Local Champion category.
Applications close on the 27th March at 12pm
How to write a strong submission
The Champion Awards recognise Living Wage employers and supporters who have gone above and beyond to champion our schemes by raising awareness, influencing others and encouraging organisations to accredit to our standards.
Strong submissions demonstrate breadth of activity, sustained commitment and clear evidence of influence or change. We are particularly interested in what you did, how often you did it, over what period, and what difference it made.
The first question in each application is a multiple-choice list of activities related to championing and raising awareness of our schemes. Please select all that apply — each contributes to your overall score.
You will then be asked to provide further detail about your activity. This is your opportunity to demonstrate depth and consistency, for example by highlighting repeated engagement, long-running initiatives or ongoing campaigns.
We are also keen to understand the impact of your activity, whether formal or informal. This could include influencing another organisation to consider accreditation, follow-up conversations after an event, or connecting peers with the Living Wage Foundation. Impact does not need to be formally evidenced — anecdotal examples are welcome.
Please provide as much detail as possible and do not assume prior knowledge of your work. Even if colleagues at the Living Wage Foundation are familiar with your organisation, they may not be involved in the shortlisting process, so clarity and context are essential.
Completing your application
The application forms are designed to be clear and concise, and should not take long to complete. We encourage you to focus on the quality and clarity of your responses rather than the volume of information provided.
We have provided an example submission below to guide you.
If you have any questions or require support with your submission, please contact [email protected] and a member of the team will be happy to assist.
Applications close on March 27th at 12pm
