What Counts as a Living Wage in London?

Everyone knows London is expensive, but exactly how much pay do you need to just get by in the city? According to an announcement from Mayor Boris Johnson last week, the rate is $14.15 (£8.80) per hour's work.

This is the level set for London's next 12 months by the Living Wage Foundation, a body that works with the Greater London Assembly to calculate how much people need to live decently. While some North American cities have recently been trying to get living wage laws on the books (not necessarily with much success), Britain's efforts for fairer pay have so far stood back from actually forcing employers' hands. The Foundation, which sets separate wage rates for London and the rest of the U.K., shows the strengths and weaknesses of the voluntary approach.