Real Living Wage Policy

What is the real Living Wage?

The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate independently calculated each year based on the actual cost of living. It is set by the Living Wage Foundation and is distinct from the government's statutory National Living Wage, which is a legal floor based on a percentage of median earnings rather than on what people actually need to get by.

There are two rates, updated every November:

Rates shown reflect the Living Wage Foundation's November 2024 announcement and are current as of May 2026. We update this page whenever new rates are announced.

Our commitment

EDTECHLAB LTD will pay any directly employed staff, workers, interns, and hourly contractors engaged by EDTECHLAB LTD at least the current real Living Wage rate published by the Living Wage Foundation.

• For London-based work, we apply the London Living Wage rate.
• For all other UK-based work, we apply the UK real Living Wage rate.
• We review this commitment annually when the Living Wage Foundation announces updated rates each November.

Who this applies to

This policy applies to people directly engaged by EDTECHLAB LTD, including:

• Directly employed staff
• Workers (including part-time and casual workers)
• Interns
• Hourly contractors engaged directly by EDTECHLAB LTD

This policy does not extend to subcontractors or suppliers engaged independently of EDTECHLAB LTD, though we encourage all those we work with to share our commitment to fair pay.

Why the real Living Wage matters

The statutory National Living Wage and the real Living Wage are not the same thing. The government's mandatory minimum is set against a proportion of median earnings. The real Living Wage — calculated by the Living Wage Foundation and the Resolution Foundation — is based on a detailed assessment of what people in the UK actually need to afford food, housing, transport, childcare, and other essentials for a decent standard of living.

Paying the real Living Wage is a voluntary commitment that goes further than the law requires. Over 16,000 UK employers — including large household names and many small businesses — now hold Living Wage Foundation accreditation and have seen tangible benefits: stronger staff retention, higher morale, and greater organisational trust.

At EDTECHLAB LTD, we are an education technology research lab. We work with universities, research leads, and institutional teams who hold high standards for the partners they trust. Paying fair wages is part of how we operate with integrity — and part of how we build the kind of organisation that the education and research sector deserves to work with.

Accreditation status

EDTECHLAB LTD is not currently claiming Living Wage Foundation accreditation. Formal accreditation requires meeting the Foundation's full employer criteria and is granted directly by the Living Wage Foundation. We will update this page if and when formal accreditation is achieved.

Our commitment to paying the real Living Wage is therefore a voluntary business decision and an expression of our values — not a claim of formal accredited status.

Questions or concerns

If you have any questions about this policy or about pay practices at EDTECHLAB LTD, please contact us at hello@edtechlab.co.uk.

For more information about the real Living Wage and how it is calculated, visit the Living Wage Foundation.