Low pay
Low pay affects many UNISON members. Although there is a national minimum wage in place, there are still many members who are living in poverty. UNISON campaigns for a living wage as a minimum.
As of 2024-2025, low pay is defined every year in relation to the cost of living by the Minimum Income Standard reports. By their calculations, for a single person household anything less than £30,500 a year, before tax, counts as low pay.
As of 2025, the Living Wage Foundation estimates that around 14.6% of employees, equating to 4.4 million people, are still paid less than a Living Wage.
For the most up to date statistics on low pay, visit The Living Wage Foundation website.
UNISON offers practical advice and campaigns for members to receive a liveable wage as a minimum, as well as bargaining and negotiating with individual employers to improve wages.
On this page
The impact of low pay
Low pay can affect members financially and emotionally. Low pay may mean that a member cannot afford to buy important things for themself or their family. Living on low pay can lead people into debt and feelings of low self-esteem.
The UK government set a goal to eradicate child poverty by 2020, but this was focused on out-of-work poverty – situations where both parents are out of work – and many low-income households are in-work.
Workers earning low pay may have to make sacrifices for their family and in many instances low pay leads to children living in poverty. If you would like to get involved with low pay campaigning, contact your UNISON rep for information on activities and action on low pay.
How to cope with low pay
In many cases, UNISON can help if you are not being given training to give you the opportunity to increase your wage, and make sure that you are paid the correct amount. UNISON can also help identify benefits, financial support or tax breaks that may be right for you.
UNISON is also campaigning to increase childcare facilities, because high childcare costs often cause household poverty.
National minimum wage
There are varying national minimum wage brackets for different ages in the UK. From April 2026, the hourly national minimum wage rates are:
- £12.71 for workers aged 21 and above;
- £10.85 for workers aged 18-20;
- £8 for workers under the age of 18;
- £8 for apprentices under 19, or in the first year of their apprenticeship.
If you are not being paid a minimum wage, contact your local UNISON rep, who will make sure you get paid the correct amount.
Even if you sign a contract agreeing to an amount lower than the national minimum wage, you are still entitled to it and your contract is void.
There are some instances where you may not be entitled to national minimum wage. Prison workers, for example, are not entitled to the national minimum wage. A full list of the types of workers not entitled to the national minimum wage can be found on the government website.
External advice and support
Frequently asked questions
We do this through campaigns such as our Living Wage campaign and through bargaining and negotiating with employers. Whether we’re campaigning or bargaining, we have more chance of success when there are more of us in the union, and more of us speaking out. So, recruiting more of your colleagues to the union could help improve your pay.
To find out more about pay rises in your workplace, contact your UNISON branch .
Training is another way that individuals can take steps to improve their pay. UNISON is a very active union in providing training for members and helping them improve their qualifications.
There are many ways to gain access to training and learning opportunities. Your UNISON rep will have information specific to your area, especially if you have a union learning rep in your workplace or branch.
Help may also be available through discretionary grants from UNISON’s welfare charity, There for you.
There are also government initiatives to help people. Contact your UNISON rep, who will be able to advise you further.
Help may also be available through discretionary grants from UNISON’s welfare charity, There for you.
Legal disclaimer
The information contained within this article is not a complete or final statement of the law and is based on the laws of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
While UNISON has sought to ensure that the information is accurate and up to date, it is not responsible and will not be held liable for any inaccuracies and their consequences, including any loss arising from relying on this information. If you are a UNISON member with a legal problem, please contact your branch or region as soon as possible for advice, or for non-employment matters call UNISONdirect.