The living wage is defined as the minimum salary an individual worker requires to meet his or her basic needs for housing, utilities, transport, healthcare, clothing and food.
The various national campaigns are based on the concept that work should provide an adequate income to enable individuals afford a socially acceptable minimum standard of living.
The living wage differs from the legally required minimum wage which is set by law and can fail to meet the requirements for a basic standard of living, leaving recipients reliant on welfare for additional income.
In Britain, the living wage is calculated as £9.15 an hour in London and £7.85 an hour in the rest of the county - 40 per cent and 21 per cent respectively above the state’s minimum wage of £6.50.
The campaign in Britain is supported by a number of high-profile employers, including Barclays bank, Goldman Sachs, ITV, Accenture and Chelsea FC.
The Living Wage Technical Group was established in Ireland earlier this year and has been working to establish an agreed methodology for calculating the living wage here.
The Irish campaign is supported by a number of charities, think tanks and trade unions, including the Nevin Economic Research Institute, Social Justice Ireland and trade union Siptu.
