Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to show your affection for your loved ones. Whether that’s a romantic evening with your partner, a Galentines day out, or quality family time together, it’s a great opportunity to do something memorable. In the context of the cost of living crisis, it’s never been more important that the people providing our Valentine’s Day gifts and experiences have been fairly compensated for their work.

This Valentine’s Day, why not share the love by supporting businesses that pay their staff the real Living Wage and ensure that retail and hospitality workers get the pay they deserve. 

That’s why we’ve put together this handy Living Wage Valentine’s Guide, showcasing just some of the amazing employers across our network who pay a real Living Wage. You can find a full list (as well as an interactive map) of all the businesses who pay the real Living Wage here.
Why not have a look to see which Living Wage employers are near you?

• ExCeL London becomes Accredited Living Wage Employer 
• Today the Royal Docks receives formal recognition from the Living Wage Foundation for Making a Living Wage Place  
• Key step in Mayor Khan’s plan to Make London a Living Wage City
• Aim of increasing the number of Royal Docks accredited Living Wage Employers by 50% by 2025 
• Community-led Royal Docks Living Wage Action Group has also signed up London City Airport and Tate & Lyle Sugars as major local employers
• Increasing the number of local employers paying a real Living Wage will help to tackle the cost of living crisis affecting many Londoners

Today sees the launch of a major campaign to make the Royal Docks, in the East London borough of Newham, a Living Wage Place. Over the next 3 years, a coalition of local public, private and third sector accredited employers aim to increase accredited Living Wage Employers in the Royal Docks by 50%, securing a pay rise for over 3,000 employees. That is only the start, the long-term aim is establish a norm that would see a Real Living Wage as the absolute minimum paid by all businesses based in the Royal Docks. 

Today Newham Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz join children from St Antony’s Catholic Primary to launch the Royal Docks Action Plan at the iconic Dockers Statue next to Victoria Dock. This is followed by a breakfast event in ExCeL London that will see hundreds of local businesses attend. The plan, which has official status with The Living Wage Foundation, lays out a targeted pathway for the area to become a Living Wage Place. 

The Living Wage Place Action Plan sees a focus on 5 business sectors with a strong presence in the Royal Docks economy: hotels; affordable workspace providers; property developers; aggregates operators; industrial estate employers and landlords. However, all businesses in the Royal Docks whatever their sector or size are encouraged to sign up. 

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “This is a major step forward in making London a Living Wage City. I’m proud that, since I became Mayor, the number of accredited London Living Wage employers has more than quadrupled, and I’m determined to keep up this momentum. Making the Royal Docks a ‘Living Wage Place’ is a big part of making this exciting area a beacon of inclusive and sustainable regeneration, and building a better and fairer London for all.”

Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, said: “Our agenda is to build a Fairer Newham and that’s why we are a London Living Wage Council. Our game plan for the next four years is to progress with Newham becoming a London Living Wage borough. This requires a sea change from employers and businesses operating in Newham so that they pay their staff a fair days wage for a fair days work. It’s great that Excel London based in our historic Royal Docks has become the latest business in Newham committed to fair pay for their employees, many of whom are local residents. Our action plan is to make the Royal Docks the first London Living Wage neighbourhood in the capital because we want the future of our city as well as our borough to be based on fairness especially in the face of the cost of living crisis.

Angela Fields said: “I live in Custom House in the heart of the Royal Docks. It is hard to overstate how important it is to my life, my wellbeing and my health being paid a true Living Wage. Without it I have no idea how I would survive the cost-of-living crisis.” Angela is founder of the Custom House Workers’ Co-operative which is a Living Wage accredited cleaning company and a member of Royal Docks Action Group.

David Miles, CFO of ExCeL London, said: “As London’s largest events venue, we’re immensely proud to be a part of the Royal Docks community and are committed to assisting with the area’s wider regeneration plans. As such, we’re delighted to announce we’ve become a fully accredited Living Wage employer which will make a key difference in terms of recruitment, retention and employee satisfaction here at ExCeL London.”

Katherine Chapman, Director of Living Wage Foundation, said: ‘’The Living Wage campaign began in East London over twenty years ago in response to local workers and their families struggling to get by on low wages. Today, a cost-of-living crisis is once again forcing local workers and families into financial hardship. That’s why it’s so exciting to be able to announce today that, following 20 years of successful Living Wage campaigning by local and civic leaders, the Royal Docks are receiving formal recognition for Making a Living Wage Place. 

There are currently 61 accredited Living Wage employers in Newham, all committed to paying their directly employed, and contracted staff, the Living Wage. This is a great achievement, and we hope to see many more employers in the area commit to pay a real Living Wage over the coming years to provide thousands more workers and families with security and stability during these challenging times.’’

The Living Wage Foundation is delighted to announce the winners of the Living Wage Champion Awards 2022. The Awards recognise and celebrate Living Wage Employers and individuals that are leading the movement by promoting the real Living Wage in their industries, supply chain and areas, leading to outstanding contributions to communities and industries across the UK.  

The winners were celebrated yesterday evening at an online awards ceremony hosted by Timi Merriman-Johnson (Mr MoneyJar) and sponsored by Aviva and Everton Football Club.

Katherine Chapman, Director of the Living Wage Foundation, said: 

“Congratulations to all our Living Wage Champion award winners and all those shortlisted. There was an outstanding collection of organisations who applied this year, and we were staggered by the incredible work they’re doing to promote the Living Wage. 

“Over 10,000 employers have now signed up to the Living Wage movement, and their leadership is making a profound difference to the lives of families and communities across the UK, particularly during the cost-of-living crisis where paying a real Living Wage is more important than ever.”

Here are the 2022 winners:

Employees’ Choice Award – Component Sense
Employees’ Choice Award – Sparkles Cleaning Services
Employees’ Choice Award – McCrossan Furniture 
Industry Trailblazer Award – Ablecare Homes
Industry Trailblazer Award – Nurture Landscapes 
Industry Trailblazer Award – LUSH 
Public Sector Award – Bristol City Council 
Living Wage Places Award – Greater Manchester Combined Authority 
Living Hours Award – Edinburgh Dogs and Cats Home 
Recognised Service Provider Award – EMCOR UK (pictured below)

Recognised Service Provider Award – Corps Security London
Living Wage Week Award – Dundee Living Wage Action Group 
Living Wage Week Award – Pro-Manchester 
Living Wage Week Award – London Stadium
Third Sector Award – Colchester Food Bank
Advocate Award – Antoinette Daniel 
Advocate Award – Carol Thompson (pictured below)

Key Worker Industry Award – Ablecare Homes Bristol
Key Worker Industry Award – Belfast Cleaning Services Northern Ireland 
Campaign of the Year Award – Empoderando Familias London
Campaign of the Year Award – The Salford City Unison Care Worker Organising Committee
Lifetime Achievement Award – Neil Duffy