Nearly one in three jobs in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector is paid below the real Living Wage, new analysis by the Living Wage Foundation has revealed.

Last year saw the largest annual rise in the number and proportion of low-paid jobs ever recorded, with 800,000 more UK jobs paid below the real Living Wage. This means 4.5 million jobs – nearly one in every six – paid less than £12.60 an hour (£13.85 in London).

According to the foundation, which carried out the research using statistics from the Office for National Statistics, 175,000 jobs in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector are low paid – representing 29.2% of the sector. In comparison, two others sectors with high levels of low pay are hospitality (53.6%) and wholesale and retail (30%). 

“It is disheartening but not surprising to find that jobs in the arts and museums are once again topping the low pay league,” said Sharon Heal, director of the Museums Association.

“It’s the people that work in museums that bring them to life, whether that’s front-of-house staff or educators and curators, and they should all be valued and paid appropriately. We know there are financial pressures on the sector but we strongly recommend that employers look at our salary research and recommendations and pay the appropriate rate for the job.”

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The picture for low-paid jobs varies across the UK. Northern Ireland has the highest rate (20.6%), followed by North East England (19.2%) and the East Midlands (18.8%). Northern Ireland also had the steepest increase in the proportion of low-paid jobs compared to 2023, rising by 4.6%.

The Living Wage Foundation says the rise in low paid jobs is down to wages failing to keep up with the cost of living. It found that two in five workers paid below the real Living Wage had used a foodbank in the previous 12 months, with 28% relying on them at least once a month.

One in three skipped meals for financial reasons; 31% had fallen behind on household bills; and 24% couldn’t afford to heat their homes. When asked, 67% of low-paid workers said that being paid less than the real Living Wage has negatively affected their mental health.

Katherine Chapman, the director of the Living Wage Foundation, said: “Today’s findings show the biggest rise in low-paid jobs we’ve ever seen, with millions of workers struggling to afford the basics as wages fail to reflect the cost of living.

“Employers that commit to the real Living Wage are not only giving their staff security and stability, but they’re also helping to strengthen the economy. At a time when too many workers are struggling to keep their heads above water, we need more businesses to step up and pay a wage that matches the real cost of living.”

What is the real Living Wage?
  • The real Living Wage – currently £12.60 an hour across the UK and £13.85 in London – is set by the Living Wage Foundation and is the only wage rate based on the cost of living.
  • The real Living Wage is different to the government’s National Living Wage, which is the legal minimum for workers 21 and over and is currently £11.44 per hour.
  • The real Living Wage is worth £2,262 more to a full-time worker than the statutory minimum and £4,700 more in London.
  • Research carried out by Cardiff Business School suggests that £1.2bn would be put back into the UK economy if a quarter of jobs were given a pay rise to the real Living Wage.