Work and Wages
The connection between employment and wellbeing raised, repeatedly by community leaders since the programme began, remains a driving force for this work. Low pay, insecure hours, and chronic financial stress are not just economic issues, they have profound effects on physical and mental health. Since 2021, listening to more than 10,000 people across South London, the partnership has repeatedly heard how low wages, unstable work and the rising cost of living intensify anxiety, worsen mental health, and deepen inequalities.
For the NHS, this matters on several levels. NHS staff are its greatest asset - the people who keep hospitals, clinics, and community services running every day. We know that when staff feel respected, secure and fairly paid, they are better able to care for patients, support families, and contribute to sustaining the health system. In a region with one of the highest costs of living in the country, fair pay and decent working conditions are both a moral commitment and an operational necessity.
Through 2025–2026, we continued to place good work, fair pay and secure employment at the heart of our mission to improve mental health and tackle inequality across the region.
Strengthening leadership and system wide commitment
In 2025–2026, South London Listens worked closely with NHS trusts, local authorities, community organisations and Citizens UK to champion good work and fair wages across the health and care sector. This partnership has helped build shared understanding of how employment conditions shape mental health and has helped unite organisations around clear, values driven action.
The programme’s momentum has also been bolstered by strong leadership across London. David Bradley, former Chief Executive of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, served as the NHS London lead for the Living Wage, working alongside the Mayor of London since 2021. His leadership has been instrumental in accelerating the adoption of Living Wage accreditation across NHS organisations – and we are delighted that Andrew Bland, Chief Executive of South East and South West London ICBs have committed to talking on this role and driving it forward across London.
Expanding the Living Wage Across the NHS
One of the most significant achievements in recent years has been the significant expansion of London Living Wage accreditation across NHS organisations. Data published in 2025 showed that in 2021, just eight NHS trusts were accredited. By 2025, this number has risen to 29 NHS Trusts,, representing an extraordinary 263% increase, meaning 83% of all NHS Trusts in London now commit to paying the London Living Wage. This change has directly improved pay, security and working conditions for thousands of the lowest paid staff across the capital.
The impact extends further across the wider health and care sector. Between September 2021 and December 2024:
Living Wage accreditations in health increased by 105%, with wage uplifts up 175%, benefiting nearly 10,000 people across 164 organisations.
In social care, accreditations rose by 80%, with wage uplifts increasing by 400%, marking a transformative shift in the sector’s approach to fair pay.
These outcomes reflect both the moral case and the practical benefits of the Living Wage. Paying a fair wage is more than a financial adjustment, it's a commitment to dignity, stability, and wellbeing for staff and their families. It also directly contributes to better care: financially secure staff experience lower stress, greater job satisfaction, and are better able to support those they care for.
South East London ICB commitments
In 2025–2026, South East London ICB was proud to become formally accredited as a London Living Wage and Living Pensions employer.
This milestone reinforced the ICB’s commitment to leading by example on fair pay within the region and strengthened momentum across the system to follow suit. Through South London Listens, the ICB has also continued to encourage and support other NHS trusts and partner organisations on their accreditation journeys.
Collaboration beyond the NHS
Crucially, the NHS recognises it cannot deliver this change alone. Achieving a Living Wage region requires collaboration across sectors, including universities, local businesses, and large institutions that shape the South London economy. The ICB and its partners continue to work through South London Listens and Citizens UK to influence organisations beyond health and care—helping to build wider coalitions for fair work.
This approach has been essential in amplifying impact. It reflects the principle embedded in South London Listens: that improving mental health and reducing inequalities requires system wide action grounded in community experience and collective leadership.
Looking ahead
Building a Fairer, Healthier South London
The progress made in 2025–2026 marks a key milestone in the journey toward fairer work and wages. As Living Wage adoption becomes the norm across the vast majority of NHS trusts, the focus is shifting towards deepening and sustaining these commitments.
This includes embedding Living Hours, improving conditions in contracted services, and creating inclusive pathways into secure employment.
Future priorities also include:
Expanding access to ESOL support, helping people with English as a second language secure better jobs.
Strengthening inclusive routes into NHS and mental health careers, particularly for under represented communities.
The partnership will continue to listen, collaborate, and take action on the issues that matter most to communities—recognising that fair, secure, stable employment is central to building a healthier and more equitable South London.
Why this matters
Good work and fair pay are linked to improved health and wellbeing. Supporting Living Wage adoption contributes to prevention, reduces inequality and strengthens workforce wellbeing across the health and care system.