BOB BEVIL AWARDED ‘LIVING WAGE CHAMPION OF THE YEAR’ AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ADVOCACY FOR REAL LIVING WAGE

• Bob Bevil was awarded the prestigious prize for outstanding, consistent and impactful advocacy for the Living Wage over the past twelve months.
• This year, Bob Bevil has been instrumental in nurturing the growth of the Living Wage network, to nearly 17,000 Living Wage Employers.

At last night’s Living Wage Champion Awards, Chipping Barnet Foodbank was recognised for its exceptional role in advancing the real Living Wage and driving up standards of good work. In the last year Bob Bevil, Advocacy and Campaign Lead at the food bank has been integral in facilitating the campaign to encourage the London Borough of Barnet to accredit as a Living Wage Employer, which as a result will put much needed money back into the pockets of hundreds of sub-contracted professionals in the borough.

Collectively, the borough’s food banks have recognised that in-work poverty is driving an increasing number of employed residents to need emergency food parcels. This issue has become more evident as the cost-of-living crisis has ensued; a key driver of this is poor wages with very few accredited Living Wage Employers in the borough

Graham Griffiths, Director of the Living Wage Foundation said: “These awards are such a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the hard work, dedication, and passion that has gone into growing the Living Wage movement over the last 25 years, and I congratulate all of the winners on their outstanding achievement. With nearly 17,000 Living Wage Employers, almost 300 Living Hours Employers, and over 100 Living Pension Employers now accredited, together we are proving that it is possible to create work that works for everyone. With the vital help of committed advocates, our campaign has driven up standards of employment and transformed millions of people’s lives already, building a legacy that has changed the world of work for the better. I warmly congratulate Bob Bevil with the support of living wage campaign team in Barnet on this well-deserved award and thank them for their support for the Living Wage movement.”

Bob Bevil, Advocacy and Campaign Lead at Chipping Barnet Foodbank said: “The accreditation of the London Borough of Barnet as a Living Wage Employer is a big boost to the community in Barnet and we will continue our work to get the Royal Free Foundation Trust, which we understand to be the largest employer in the borough, to follow suite.  I am delighted to be receiving this award and would like to thank the entire campaign team that supported this initiative and the Living Wage Foundation for bringing recognition to our cause.”

The annual Living Wage Champion Awards celebrate individuals and organisations that have made an outstanding contribution to the Living Wage movement. The movement began 25 years ago in East London and has been recognised as one of the most successful civil society campaigns of the 21st century. The ceremony was held in London to mark this milestone year and the origins of the movement.

ENDS

Media Contact

Tricia Persad-Bevil, Chipping Barnet Foodbank, tricia@inspiramos.co.uk 07792 524442

Matt Ford, Media Manager: matt.ford@livingwage.org.uk 07507478967

Emily Hill, Communications Officer: emily.hill@livingwage.org.uk 07494787256

Natasha Matsaert, Communications Officer: natasha.matsaert@livingwage.org.uk 07909 443042

Notes to Editors

About Chipping Barnet Foodbank

Chipping Barnet Foodbank is a charitable organisation that provides emergency food assistance and comprehensive support to individuals and families facing poverty in the London Borough of Barnet.

Beyond distributing food parcels, we offer a range of support services to our clients including benefits advice, debt support, housing and employment advice, a digital inclusion service, and client signposting to other local resources.

We collaborate with various community partners and engage in advocacy efforts to address the root causes of food insecurity. Our approach is holistic, aiming to provide immediate relief while also contributing to long-term solutions for poverty in the local community.

We are part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, in collaboration with Trussell, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK.

About the Living Wage Foundation    

The Living Wage Foundation is the organisation at the heart of the independent movement of employers, people and communities who are driving up employment standards so that everyone has a decent standard of living now and in the future. Through the Living Wage, Living Hours and Living Pension accreditations, it champions and celebrates employers who make an ongoing commitment to do the right thing by their employees by providing the security and freedom they need to thrive. The Living Wage Foundation is part of Citizens UK; the UK’s biggest, most diverse and effective people powered alliance.

https://www.livingwage.org.uk/

What is the real Living Wage?  

The Living Wage Foundation’s real Living Wage remains the only UK wage rate independently calculated based on the cost of living, rising annually based on living costs. It gives employers the confidence they are paying a wage that meets every day needs. The real Living Wage applies to all workers over 18 – in recognition that young people face the same living costs as everyone else. This year’s rates are £13.45 across the UK, and £14.80 in London. These figures are calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation and overseen by the Living Wage Commission, based on the best available evidence on living standards in the UK and in London.

Nearly 17,000 accredited employers choose to pay the real Living Wage on a voluntary basis. The campaign for a real Living Wage has secured over £4.1bn of pay rises for low paid workers and made a profound difference to millions of lives around the UK since it began 25 years ago. It enjoys cross party support.

What about the Government’s national living wage? 

In July 2015 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the UK Government would introduce a compulsory ‘National Living Wage’ (NLW). This new government rate was a new minimum wage for staff over 25 years old. It was introduced in April 2016 and the rate is £12.71 as of April 2026. From April 2024 it applies to everyone over 21 years old.

The rate is different to the Living Wage rates calculated by the Living Wage Foundation. The government rate is based on median earnings, while the Living Wage Foundation rates remain the only ones calculated according to the cost of living in London and the UK. A full-time worker paid the £13.45 real Living Wage will receive £1,400 in additional wages annually compared to the current Government minimum. For a full-time worker in London this figure rises to over £4,000.

Living Hours and Living Pension

The Living Wage Foundation has also developed two complementary schemes for employers who want to go beyond paying the real Living Wage to support their staff.

Living Hours is a new standard designed to tackle insecurity of hours. There are now almost 300 Living Hours employers going beyond payment of the real Living Wage to also provide a guaranteed minimum of 16 hours work a week, a month’s notice of shift patterns and a contract that reflects hours worked.

Living Pensions is a voluntary savings target for employers that was developed to tackle poverty in retirement. There are now over 110 Living Pension Employers committed to helping workers build up a pension pot that will provide enough income to meet basic everyday needs in retirement.