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London Fire Brigade has become the 300th employer to achieve Living Hours accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation, marking a milestone for the scheme as more organisations commit to tackling insecure work.
The brigade is the first Greater London Authority (GLA) functional body to become a Living Hours Employer, supporting the Mayor of London’s ambition for all GLA functional bodies to gain accreditation.
More than 300 employers have now signed up to the voluntary scheme, providing over 94,700 employees with greater certainty over their working hours and pay. The accreditation is designed to address insecure working practices, including unpredictable hours and last-minute shift changes, which can contribute to in-work poverty.
Research from the Living Wage Foundation shows that most UK workers with variable hours have been called into work with less than a week’s notice, while around a quarter have had shifts cancelled unexpectedly by their employer.
“London Fire Brigade is proud to become the 300th employer to be accredited as a Living Hours Employer. This aligns with the ambition of the Mayor of London for all functional bodies within the Greater London Authority to achieve accreditation.
“This work supports the commitments we have made in our 2026-2030 Sustainable Development strategy and helps to tackle insecure work in the capital. We want to ensure that all of our employees have the security they need to thrive and we look forward to extending this through our supply chains and contracts.”
London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith.
The announcement comes as the Government concludes its consultation on implementing provisions within the Employment Rights Act covering guaranteed hours, shift notice and compensation for cancelled shifts. While those reforms would introduce new legal protections, the Living Hours scheme already sets a higher voluntary standard.
Accredited employers commit to giving workers at least four weeks’ notice of shifts and guaranteeing payment if a shift is cancelled within that notice period. They also guarantee a minimum of 16 hours of work each week, unless a worker requests fewer hours, and provide contracts that accurately reflect the hours employees regularly work. The commitment also applies to regular third-party contractors.
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