“Between April 2008 and April 2010, the proportion of jobs paid less than the living wage in London was stable at around 13%, but it had risen to 19% by April 2014”.
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Numbers from the ONS show that the increase of the relative number of people making less than the living wage, which should cover the basic costs of living, is mostly hurting areas far from the capital, like West Somerset, but there are a few constituencies closer to London affected, such as Waltham Forest.
In 2014, young adults in London were paid less than the living wage 48% of time, and 58% for those outside of London.
By region, the places with the lowest proportions of jobs paid under the threshold were the South East of England, London and Scotland, all sitting on 19%.
The living wage is a voluntary guideline, and different to the legally binding national minimum wage, which is now £6.70 per hour for those over the age of 21.
The TUC said one of the main findings of the ONS study was that across the United Kingdom 18 of male employees, and 29pc of female employees, are paid less than the Living Wage.
In total, there were 287,000 jobs across Wales paying less than the living wage.
There are separate living wage rates for London and the rest of the United Kingdom, known as the London Living Wage (LLW).
“These figures demonstrate that while the economy may be recovering as a whole, there is a real problem with ensuring everyone benefits, and low pay is still prevalent in Britain today”, he said.
The aim is to persuade employers to sign up voluntarily to paying a living wage to all employees aged 18 and over who are not apprentices, interns or trainees. However, the living wage rate is likely to have risen higher by then, not least because of cuts to tax credit support.
“Everybody deserves a fair day’s pay for an honest day’s work”.
“It’s particularly shocking that so many more women than men are denied the living wage”.
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Employers will be required to pay the NLW from April 2016.
