Luana Coelho, a single mother from Westminster and a customer service officer at Enabled Living in East London, is among the 140,000 Londoners celebrating a recent pay increase as the London Living Wage rises to £13.85 an hour.
Coelho, who supports her 17-year-old son, shares that this raise provides her with the financial freedom she once only hoped for.
“Being paid the London Living Wage has given me much more financial freedom and enabled me to live more comfortably within my means,” she told the BBC, describing the sense of relief she feels knowing she can manage household expenses without the constant stress of making ends meet.
The increase in the London Living Wage is a part of the Real Living Wage program overseen by the Living Wage Foundation, which determines wage levels based on the cost of living rather than government minimums.
Enabled Living, where Coelho works, is one of many companies across London committed to paying this voluntary wage rate.
Coelho highlights that even a modest raise can make a significant difference.
“With this job, I don’t feel as worried about warming my house and the food shopping,” she says.
This increase, however, comes as the rising cost of utilities and inflation create challenges for many families in London, particularly those reliant on the government’s National Living Wage, which remains lower than the London Living Wage.
Coelho, who often lends money to friends struggling on minimum wage, advocates for broader adoption of the Real Living Wage, expressing that it “would enable them to live a better life.”
The commitment of employers like Enabled Living and Bird & Blend Tea Co., which also pays the London Living Wage, stands in contrast to businesses that find this increase financially challenging.
Adam Cozens, co-founder of Perky Blenders, a coffee company with 50 employees, notes that while he supports the concept, rising costs may force small businesses to raise prices.
Still, Coelho’s story illustrates the positive impact the Living Wage can have on financial security and mental well-being, offering a hopeful model for how higher wages can support working women across London and beyond.
