addaddarrow-downarrow-leftarrow-rightarrow-up82CF3E98-D323-4B3E-9EDD-EF2E73FB5C9E@1xcancelcircularclockClose IcondowndownloademailIcons / Social / FacebookfilterhomeIcons / Social / InstagramleftIcons / Social / LinkedIn895A4639-EEE0-4BEB-B7D1-CAB21217861B@1xMenu Iconremoveremoverightsearchtagtik-toktranslateIcons / Social / TwitterupIcons / Social / YouTube

Developing Living Wage Leaders

Launched by Citizens UK in 2001, the Living Wage campaign has won over £2 billion of additional wages, lifting hundreds of thousands of people out of working poverty. We’re campaigning to ask every employer to step up and accredit with the Living Wage Foundation, ensuring that all internal and contracted staff, from cleaners, to security guards to catering staff, get paid at least the real Living Wage.

This transformational (and now international) movement started all because a group of low-paid workers in East London decided to take action. Enough was enough - parents were working multiple jobs and struggling to keep their kids fed. Cleaners were working in the offices of multi-million pound business executives, yet fearful that they wouldn't make enough each month to pay rent. They realised that by working together, and organising the community to take action, they had power to make change. Read more about the history of the Living Wage movement here.

Today we are still developing community leaders to organise and win change on all sorts of local and national issues, including the campaign for the real Living Wage. Find out how you can get involved below.

The Living Wage Leadership Academy

The Living Wage Academy, an initiative launched by the Living Wage Foundation in 2021, is dedicated to empowering Citizens UK leaders and employees of Living Wage accredited businesses to take the next step on their journey championing the real Living Wage.

Next Living Wage Leadership Academy: 19th October 2024

Register by contacting: caitlin.durham@livingwage.org.uk

What will I learn?

Our refreshed and exciting new curriculum builds on your community organising training with a deeper dive into Living Wage campaigns. You’ll learn about how accreditation works, how to tell your story, influence decision makers, and champion the Living Wage in the media. You’ll build a network of other Living Wage leaders, and we’ll provide live opportunities for professional development plus getting involved in the Living Wage campaign in London.

Gain invaluable knowledge and insights to take back to your local Citizens UK chapter and help get more organisations accredited as Living Wage employers.

Register now

The next Living Wage Leadership Academy will be held on the 19th October 2024 in Central London.

Travel expenses, refreshments (including lunch) and childcare will be provided as necessary. We will also provide accessibility and language adaptations as required.

This session is part of a broader Leadership Development program led by Citizens UK. Please contact  caitlin.durham@livingwage.org.uk if you would like to attend, places are limited to 15 leaders.

Join the Academy

Hear from Academy alumni

Angela Fields is a Citizens UK leader and Living Wage Academy member. Previously a low-paid worker, she took part in the Living Wage campaign and eventually set up her own Living Wage business.


"It's just good to get my voice out there so people can hear my story and think, if she can achieve that then I can achieve it too. Sadiq Khan tweeted my story after I spoke at the launch of the London Living Wage in November. Being recognised by the Mayor of London made me feel so proud of myself. I never thought I'd be setting up and running a business. But because I didn't ever think I'd be able to do it, now I say to people who are thinking about it: It doesn't matter whether you can or whether you can't, you just go try it because you never know the end results."

Angela's experience

Olawale Ajibola is a Citizens UK community leader who worked as a cleaner and played a key role in convincing the London Stadium to accredit as a Living Wage employer.

"I want to continue learning skills that will help me get involved in more London Living Wage campaigns locally. Having people who can talk first-hand about their experience goes a long way to making a campaign successful. The Living Wage Leadership Academy is providing the resources to make people more confident, so we can do just that."

Olawale's experience

Rachel Flint is a Citizens UK leader and Living Wage Academy member. As a care user, she is a key leader in the national campaign for the real Living Wage for Social Care.

"I'm taking part because I want to get something done. The impact that the campaign has had so far in its 20 years of history has been monumental. Thinking of the impact it could have in the next 20 years is a beautiful future to look upon. Think of it - a kinder society. A society where the weakest are cared for, the most vulnerable are cared for, where the elderly are cared for. A society in which we can all live in the knowledge that we'll be properly cared for when we're older by people who are cared for by the system. Everyone wins."

Rachel's experience

Four ways Living Wage leaders win change

West London citizens winning Living Wage at NHS Trusts

Local Organising

We develop community leaders to take action on local employers with their Citizens UK alliance. For example, four boroughs across West London organised together to convince NHS Trusts to accredit as Living Wage employers. Since the campaign launched, at least 5 out of 9 Trusts have committed - resulting in pay rises for thousands of workers.

Read more
living hours

Creating Living Wage Places

We develop leaders to campaign in partnership with the Living Wage Foundation, local authorities and businesses to create Living Wage regions - such as in Greater Manchester, London and Wales. Read more about our project 'Making London a Living Wage City'.

Read more
Living Wage for Social Care action Mary Seacole and Parliament Square June 2024

National campaigns

We develop leaders on national campaigns when many local alliances are working on similar issues. For example, our Living Wage for Social Care campaign has most recently resulted in the Welsh government committing to pay all social care workers the real Living Wage, and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner agreeing to work with us on the issue. Find out more about our Living Wage for Social Care campaign.

Read more
Enabled Living Michael (002)

Other fair work campaigns

As well as the real Living Wage, we develop community leaders to campaign for all working conditions to be fair and secure. Informed by people affected by the issues, our movement for Living Hours and Living Pensions is raising the standard for what good work looks like across the board.

Read more

Living Wage leader stories

Young children laughing and holding up gold balloons on stage which spell out the number 2635, referring to new living wage employers.

Living Wage across Citizens UK

Young girl in yellow dress and with a flower headband dances. She's surrounded by giant bubbles and other community leaders holding signs and flags. One banner says 'Bupa do you care'. Image taken outside Bupa headquarters

Citizens UK staff and leaders are gathered outside Parliament Square in Westminster, holding up flags which say "Care workers deserve a real Living Wage".
People standing next to each other in a line laughing during living wage workshop