Key Takeaways
- Lobo Digital has been officially accredited as a Living Wage Employer by the Living Wage Foundation
- The real Living Wage is independently calculated on the actual cost of living, not the government minimum
- Accreditation means every member of the team is paid at or above this rate, reviewed annually
- It’s a values decision, not a compliance requirement, since UK employers aren’t legally obliged to pay it
- It signals to clients and future hires how the agency is built and run
- It sits alongside the agency’s wider approach to responsible, sustainable growth
We’re pleased to confirm that Lobo Digital is now an accredited Living Wage Employer. It’s a small line to write and a decision that says a lot about how we want to run this business. Nearly 17,000 UK organisations now hold this accreditation. We wanted to be one of them, not because a client asked, but because it matches what we believe good employment should look like.
What is the Living Wage Foundation?
The Living Wage Foundation is the UK organisation behind the real Living Wage, an hourly rate independently calculated each year on the actual cost of living rather than a government-set minimum. It runs the accreditation scheme, supports employers implementing it, and campaigns for wider adoption across UK business.
The Foundation offers several accreditations: Living Wage Employer, covering pay; Living Hours Employer, covering secure and predictable working hours; and Living Pension Employer, covering retirement savings. It says the majority of accredited employers report that becoming a Living Wage Employer has benefited their business.
Crucially, this isn’t the same as the National Living Wage, which is the legal minimum set by government. The National Living Wage is a legal minimum wage for UK workers aged 21 and over, currently £12.71 an hour, calculated from median earnings rather than the cost of living. The real Living Wage is a voluntary commitment, calculated differently, and set higher.
What does Living Wage accreditation actually involve?
Accreditation means committing to pay every member of staff, and eventually every contracted worker, at least the real Living Wage rate for their location. Rates are announced each October and employers have six months to bring pay in line with the new figure.
At the time of writing, the real Living Wage stands at £13.45 an hour, with a higher rate for London at £14.80 to reflect the capital’s cost of living. It’s reviewed every year, so accreditation isn’t a one-off badge. It’s an ongoing commitment we’ll need to keep meeting.
Why did Lobo Digital become accredited?
For me, this goes back further than founding the agency.
“Running a marketing agency solo for most of the week means every decision about how we pay and treat people is a decision I make directly, not one buried in a policy document. Becoming a Living Wage Employer was about making sure that decision was one I could stand behind.” – Marcus Lobow, Founder, Lobo Digital
Lobo Digital isn’t a large company. We work with a small, close team and trusted partners. That’s exactly why this mattered to us: when a business is this size, values aren’t abstract, they show up in every invoice, every hire, every rate we agree to.
What does this mean for how Lobo Digital works with clients?
It doesn’t change the service we deliver. It does say something about the standards we hold ourselves to before we ever get to a client brief.
| National Living Wage | Real Living Wage | |
|---|---|---|
| Set by | UK Government | Living Wage Foundation |
| Basis | Median earnings | Actual cost of living |
| Legally required | Yes, for eligible workers | No, voluntary |
| Updated | April | October |
For SMEs and purpose-driven organisations, the clients we tend to work best with, this kind of accreditation is often a shorthand for how a supplier operates. It’s a fair question to ask any agency you’re considering: are they paying their own team properly before they start advising you on growth?
What’s next for Lobo Digital as a Living Wage Employer?
As the agency grows, and as we continue building the Lobo Digital App, this accreditation is a line we don’t intend to cross back over. Growth for its own sake isn’t the goal. Growth that lets us keep paying people properly, and do more of it, is.
FAQs
What’s the difference between the real Living Wage and the National Living Wage?
The National Living Wage is the UK government’s legal minimum for workers aged 21 and over, based on median earnings. The real Living Wage is a voluntary rate set by the Living Wage Foundation, calculated on the actual cost of living, and is typically higher, especially in London.
Who calculates the real Living Wage and how often does it change?
The Living Wage Foundation calculates it independently each year, based on the current cost of essentials like housing, food and bills. New rates are announced every October, and accredited employers must update pay to the new rate within six months.
Is Lobo Digital legally required to pay the real Living Wage?
No. It’s entirely voluntary. UK employers only have to pay the National Living Wage by law. Accreditation is a choice, which is part of why we wanted to make it.
Why should this matter to a business choosing a marketing agency?
It’s a visible signal of how a supplier treats its own people, which often reflects how they’ll treat a client relationship too. It’s a small but honest data point when you’re choosing who to work with.
How does a business become an accredited Living Wage Employer?
Businesses apply directly through the Living Wage Foundation and agree to pay all directly employed and contracted staff at least the real Living Wage rate for their location, with a timetable available if existing contracts need time to adjust.
