The majority of Londoners do not believe the minimum wage is enough to live on in the capital as an increasing number of London residents are paid a ‘poverty wage’.
A Labour party survey of 2,200 people across London found that the standard of living for two-thirds of lower-income Londoners has fallen in the past three years, along with 71% of those who are disabled.
The study showed three out of four disabled people in London expect their living standards to fall in the next three years.
Labour called for London mayor Boris Johnson to lobby government to increase the minimum wage to a London Minimum wage. It believes the move would represent a stepping stone to a statutory living wage for all.
Fiona Twycross, Labour's economy spokeswoman on London Assembly, said: "Poverty pay is a growing problem in London. In 2007 there were 420,000 people paid below the London Living Wage. By 2012 this number had increased to 600,000, which represents 17% of all the jobs in London.
"This means there are hundreds of thousands of Londoners in work, today, who are being paid a poverty wage.”
She added: "Londoners of all incomes are struggling as rent, energy, childcare and transport costs continue to rise. There is also a deeply worrying pattern that it is the lowest paid, the disabled and black and minority ethnic Londoners who are being hit hardest by the cost of living crisis.”
More than nine out of 10 of those questioned said they did not believe the minimum wage of £6.31 an hour was enough to live on in the capital.
Additional reporting by PA
