Oxford’s voluntary Living Wage will rise to £14.68 an hour for 2027/28, with employers in the city’s accreditation scheme required to introduce the new rate by 6 April 2027.
Oxford City Council has announced a 62p increase on the current £14.06 hourly rate, equivalent to a rise of 4.4%.
The Oxford Living Wage is a commitment employers choose to make. It is separate from the government’s statutory minimum wage rates, so the announcement does not automatically increase pay for everyone working in Oxford.
What does the increase mean for workers?
For someone moving from £14.06 to £14.68 and paid for 37.5 hours a week, the increase would add £23.25 to their weekly gross pay. Across 52 paid weeks, that would be £1,209 more a year, before tax and other deductions.
Employers in the scheme are encouraged to introduce the new rate as soon as possible, rather than wait until April. Workers and jobseekers can check the council’s list of accredited Oxford Living Wage employers.
How is the Oxford Living Wage calculated?
Launched in 2018, the scheme aims to help workers meet Oxford’s living costs. The rate is reviewed annually and set at 95% of the London Living Wage, which has been announced at £15.45 an hour. Rounded to the nearest penny, 95% of that figure is £14.68.
The Living Wage Foundation’s updated calculation combines research into the cost of a minimum acceptable standard of living with a poverty threshold based on 60% of median household income after housing costs. The calculation considers costs such as housing, childcare and transport.
How can employers join?
Accreditation is free and open to organisations based in Oxford or doing business in the city. Employers can review the scheme’s eligibility and pay requirements and use the council’s application form to join or reconfirm their commitment.
The council says the scheme now has 210 employers, its highest total since it began. It reached 200 accredited employers in July 2026.
Councillor Mark Lygo, cabinet member for a Healthy, Fairer Oxford, urged current and prospective employers “to commit to paying their staff the Oxford Living Wage”.
