Why pay the real Living Wage?​

The Living Wage is good for business, good for employees and good for the local economy

By paying the real Living Wage, employers are voluntarily taking a stand to ensure their employees can earn a wage which is enough to live on. As well as it being the right thing to do, there is a growing body of evidence demonstrating the business benefits of becoming a Living Wage employer.

Lifting 1/4 of low income workers to the real living wage could create a £1.1bn boost to major uk cities

In 2018, analysis by The Smith Institute found that if just a quarter of those on low incomes saw their pay rise to the real Living Wage in ten of the UK’s major city regions, a subsequent increase in wages, productivity and spending could deliver a £1.1 billion economic boost to major UK cities. This highlights the potential cumulative impact of local authorities paying the real Living Wage. When workers earn enough to live, they have more income to spend in the local economy.

Why become an accredited organisation?

Accredited employers display the Living Wage Employer Mark to evidence their commitment to paying the Living Wage to directly employed workers and third party sub-contractors.

This includes a plaque, merchandise and digital assets to demonstrate their commitment to their staff and networks. The employer will also be listed on the Living Wage Foundation website.

Business Benefits

A report from Cardiff Business School highlights the positive impact of Living Wage on organisations. The survey of more than 800 accredited real Living Wage businesses, ranging from SME’s to FTSE 100 companies, found that:

94% of Living Wage Businesses say they have BENEFITED since accrediting

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Say it has improved the reputation of their business

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Say it has helped differentiate themselves from others in their industry

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Say it improved recruitment of employees into their business

In 2021, the survey of more than 1500 accredited real Living Wage businesses, ranging from SMEs to FTSE 100 companies, found that 94% reported they had gained as a business after becoming a real Living Wage employer.

Additionally:

  • 93% of University Students want to work for accredited employers.
  • 90% of consumers were more likely to buy a product or service from an employer that paid the real Living Wage.
  • 85% of investors state that investment in employees is an important factor in their decision-making. 62% say this is specifically the case for Living Wage Employer accreditation.

benefits to workers in Wales

Do you know the difference it makes?

"Not having to worry about affording the basics"
"Saving a little for an emergency or a rainy day"
"Spending more quality time with our children"

1 in 5 workers in Wales are paid less than the real Living Wage (TUC, 2019)

Earning the Living Wage can mean so much more than a pay rise. It can mean being able to put money away for a rainy day, being able to spend more quality time with family and it can mean peace of mind from not having to worry about affording the basics.

Employees from Burns Pet Nutrition, share what working for an accredited employer means to them.

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