Celebrating 25 Years of the Real Living Wage Campaign

In 2001, in the City of London, faith leaders, union members and teachers staged a bold action in a major bank to demand a real Living Wage. That spark ignited a grassroots movement which, 25 years on, has created real change for workers across the UK. Over 16,000 employers now commit to the real Living Wage, returning £4.2 billion to low‑paid workers, delivering nearly half a million pay rises, and helping lift minimum wage rates.

The backbone of the campaign is thousands of SMEs, but it also unites FTSE 100 companies, Premier League clubs, and household names like IKEA.

In Northern Ireland, more than 200 local employers have signed up to pay the real Living Wage—yet low pay remains a challenge. Join Living Wage NI to celebrate 25 years of this extraordinary movement, hear from some of the early organisers, and local Living Wage employers—and most importantly, we want you to bring your ideas on how to continue to grow the movement here.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Imagine! Belfast Festival of Ideas & Politics