North Acton Square Becomes UK's First Living Wage Zone

North Acton has achieved a UK first after every business operating at North Acton Square committed to paying workers at least the London Living Wage.

North Acton Square has officially become the UK's first Living Wage Zone, giving the rapidly changing area another significant milestone.

Every business operating at the square is an accredited Living Wage Employer, meaning employees are paid at least the independently calculated London Living Wage.

The commitment goes further than the businesses' directly employed staff. Living Wage Zone accreditation means people working on the site through third-party contractors are also covered, with the commitment intended to continue as businesses at the square change in the future.

At a Glance & FAQs

• North Acton Square is the UK's first Living Wage Zone
• Every business operating there is a Living Wage Employer
• The commitment also covers people working through third-party contractors
• The current London Living Wage is £14.80 an hour
• North Acton Square contains six retail units
• The site was previously a petrol station
• The square also hosts markets, live music and film and sports screenings
• More than 150 accredited Living Wage employers now operate across the borough

From Petrol Station to Community Square

The Living Wage announcement is also the latest chapter in the transformation of North Acton Square.

The site, close to North Acton Underground station, was previously occupied by a petrol station.

Over the last year it has been transformed into a public square containing six retail units, with businesses including a coffee shop, barber and street-food burger outlet.

But North Acton Square has been designed as more than simply somewhere to shop.

Markets, live music, film screenings and sports screenings have been among the activities staged there, helping create a new community destination in an area experiencing considerable development.

What Does a Living Wage Zone Mean?

The real Living Wage is different from the government's statutory minimum wage.

It is a voluntary rate calculated according to the cost of living and is designed to reflect what workers need to meet everyday expenses.

The London Living Wage for 2025–26 is £14.80 per hour, compared with the statutory National Living Wage of £12.71 for workers aged 21 and over. A new London Living Wage rate is due to be announced in October 2026.

Individual businesses can become accredited Living Wage Employers.

What makes North Acton Square unusual is that the commitment applies across the whole designated site.

That means the principle of paying the Living Wage becomes part of the identity of the square rather than simply a policy adopted by one individual business.

Supporting Small Businesses and Workers

The Republic Community Projects is the organisation behind North Acton Square.

Its director Johnny Brewin said the square was created as an affordable location for small businesses, makers and community organisations.

The Living Wage accreditation therefore adds another dimension to the project: combining affordable space for independent organisations with a commitment to minimum pay standards for the people working there.

For small businesses, Living Wage accreditation can potentially provide benefits beyond wages. The Living Wage Foundation says accredited employers commonly report advantages involving recruitment, retention and staff motivation.

A Growing North Acton

The development also reflects the changing character of North Acton.

Once primarily associated with industrial and commercial sites, the area surrounding North Acton station has undergone significant development in recent years, bringing new homes, businesses and public spaces.

Creating places where the growing residential and working population can meet, eat and take part in community activities is therefore becoming increasingly important.

North Acton Square's combination of independent businesses and events gives the area a new focal point immediately beside the Underground station.

Its new Living Wage Zone status now gives that relatively small public square a distinction no other location in Britain currently holds.

For North Acton, it is another sign of how a previously overlooked corner of the borough is developing into a community and business destination in its own right.