The real Living Wage goes up to £14.10, and £15.45 in London

The real Living Wage has gone up by 65p an hour, the Living Wage Foundation has announced. It's now £14.10 across the UK and £15.45 in London.

First, what is it? It's not the legal minimum. The real Living Wage is a voluntary rate worked out from what it actually costs to live. Employers choose to sign up and get accredited. Nearly 17,000 have, and one in seven UK employees now works for one.

What the rise is worth - Over £1,250 more this year if you work full-time - Over £2,700 a year more than the government minimum, full-time - In London, over £5,300 a year more than the minimum

Does it apply to you? Only if your employer is accredited. Accredited employers can show the Living Wage Employer mark, and the Foundation keeps a list on its website, so it takes a minute to check. If yours isn't on it, the legal minimum wage still applies.

Some hospitality businesses already pay it. SEND Coffee in London is one, and its managing director, Harry George, told the Foundation that staff stay for years in a job that usually has high turnover.

Try this: if you're weighing up two job offers, ask each one whether it pays the real Living Wage. It's a fair question and a quick way to compare.