Twenty-eight additional businesses in Oxford have now committed to paying the 2026/2027 Oxford living wage.

Coffee shop Kelpie Coffee, charitable organisation Oxford Hospitals Charity, bakery business Natural Bread Company, and coffee roastery Missing Bean are among the latest to sign up.

These companies will ensure that an additional 172 workers in the area receive compensation aligned with elevated expenses.

The tally now stands at 193 approved organisations, with more than 32,000 workers across Oxford (including 1,298 from the newly joined businesses) earning a minimum of £14.06 per hour.

The updated Oxford living wage figure was revealed in November and became applicable from April.

The rate represents 95 per cent of the equivalent London figure, accounting for the substantial cost of residing in the city.

Kelpie Coffee was established by Ben Sorgiovanni alongside his partner Clare, and the business has now enrolled in the initiative.

This voluntary standard exceeds the legally required National Living Wage and aims to help workers manage day-to-day expenses in one of Britain’s priciest urban areas.

Guidance on the advantages of adopting the living wage and a register of all accredited organisations are available on the city council’s website.

The scheme was initially brought in during 2018, having emerged from a broader campaign led by the Living Wage Foundation across the country.

The foundation calculates the genuine living wage at £13.45, considerably higher than the minimum legal requirement.

The present statutory national living wage in the UK is £12.71 for those aged 21 and older, while the equivalent London rate reaches £14.80.