It’s Living Wage Week 2026!
Living Wage Week is the annual celebration of the Living Wage movement.
This year we celebrate 25 years of a movement that has brought dignity to workers, and a measurable positive impact for employers and communities across the UK. That includes many of our churches, St Pauls Cathedral and the London Diocesan Fund.
This Living Wage week, we are focussing on the value in not just paying your staff the London Living Wage, but the importance of also accrediting as a Living Wage Employer.
Why as a church should I accredit as a Living Wage Employer?
Accreditation isn’t just about pay. It’s a practical commitment to dignity, justice and the well-being of those who make our ministries possible. By becoming a Living Wage Employer, churches can ensure that their values are reflected in the way they employ and support their staff and contractors.
Why Living Wage Week Matters
Living Wage Week is a chance for us to celebrate organisations that are helping tackle in-work poverty through fair pay. As household costs remain high and financial pressures continue, the Real Living wage helps ensure that work provides genuine financial security and enables people to live with dignity. For churches and Christian organisations, becoming an accredited Living Wage Employer is a practical way to put faith into action.
Faith in Action
Throughout scripture, God calls us to pursue justice, treat people fairly and uphold the dignity of every person. Paying the real Living Wage is one practical expression of that calling.
Sons, a coffee business run in partnership with SAINT in Hackney, have been a Living Wage Employer from the outset.
Co-founder Barney explains why this was so important:
“For me it starts with honouring each person. Everyone is made in the image of God, with a dignity that doesn’t depend on their role or what they bring in. Paying a wage people can actually live on in London is a practical way of honouring that.”
Churches that become Living Wage Employers often say the decision reflects both their values and their commitment to staff wellbeing. Shane Thompson, Operations Manager at St Mary’s Islington, shares his experience:
“At St Mary Islington we genuinely believe that people need to be supported by their workplace, and that the relationship St Mary’s has with its staff is two-way, and paying the London Living wage demonstrates our care for our workers.
Being in a charity setting, it can be difficult, particularly in the current economic climate, to manage the budget with such high staffing costs, but we need to remember that while our budgets are tight, the people we work with and employ are in the same situation as us and we all have to try and pull through as much as we can. As a church and a charity, we feel like it’s our duty to give back to all the different communities that we engage with and our staffing pool is one of the core ones.
Paying the London living wage at St Marys is a noticeable financial draw on our budgets, it’s not worth pretending that it isn’t, and with the level rising each year it can sometimes feel like a stretch. However, in the balance of things, when we look at all the resources, we choose to spend limited finances on, the only one that really matters is our people.
Words only go so far when people have bills to pay, and the benefit comes back to us in happier staff, less staffing turnover and a more cohesive team. To that end I would encourage others to agree to the London living wage for their staff as the alternative is to commit the most dedicated people you have to a harder living standard than they deserve.”
Across London, churches and Christian organisations are demonstrating that fair pay is an important part of faithful witness. Living Wage accreditation is not always the easiest choice, particularly in challenging financial circumstances, but it is a powerful way to support staff and put Christian values into practice.
Becoming a Living Wage employer:
- Helps employees meet the real cost of living and improves financial wellbeing
- Aligns employment practices with Christian values.
- Demonstrates that Christian values shape not only ministry but employment practices.
- Plays a practical part in reducing in-work poverty.
Whether you’re a church, charity or Christian organisation, accreditation is a meaningful step towards creating a more just and flourishing society.
How do we Accredit?
We have put together a simple toolkit for you and your PCC to use to work through the steps to become an accredited Living Wage employer.
You can find a link to this resource below.
You can also find out more information at the Living Wage Foundation who will help you through, step by step.
During Living Wage Week, we invite you to:
- Use the Living Wage Toolkit to explore the accreditation process and access practical guidance: [Link]
- Join the Living Wage Service on 12 November as we reflect, pray and celebrate the impact of the Living Wage movement: https://skc.churchsuite.com/events/nqb8i6zp
- Consider becoming accredited and take a practical step towards putting faith into action.
