Preston hosts launch to celebrate becoming a Real Living Wage city

The importance and encouragement of being a Real Living Wage employer.

On Tuesday, 5 November, Preston City Council hosted a Real Living Wage celebration, to showcase becoming the first Real Living Wage city in Lancashire and gave a platform to other Real Living Wage employers to share their experiences, whilst shining a light on the benefit of becoming an accredited Real Living Wage employer. 

The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate based on the cost of living. It is voluntarily paid by over 15,000 UK businesses who believe their staff deserve a wage which meets everyday needs.

In 2012, Preston City Council was the first local authority, in the North of England to become a Real Living Wage accredited employer and compliments the foundations of Community Wealth Building.  

The event was opened by Councillor Valerie Wise, Cabinet Member for Community Wealth Building, in which she talked about the importance of being a Real Living Wage employer and encouraged those considering becoming an accredited Real Living Wage employer to move forward in the process. 

Councillor Valerie Wise said:

"It's a wonderful event and a great platform to promote not only the fact that Preston City Council is an accredited Living Wage employer, but also Preston's Living Wage City status. We would love for other employers and councils to follow suit. As proven by conversations with both employers and employees, staff morale and retention improve significantly in businesses paying the real living wage." 

The Q & A panel, saw employers such as Michael Manley from GLL, Kath O'Flaherty from Preston City Council and Nick Burnham, Principal at Cardinal Newman College, share their first-hand experiences of being accredited Real Living Wage employers and encouraged others to follow suit.  

Kath O'Flaherty, Head of Workforce at Preston City Council said:

"The Living Wage agenda is intended to promote the economic and social well-being of people living and working in Preston. The Council has a long history of action on low pay and has been paying the Real living Wage as the minimum rate for all its workers since 2009. Although it impacts only a small number of workers in roles at the lowest end of the Council's pay spine, it does help to attract workers and reduce turnover in those roles. In particular, we've had an excellent response in recruiting younger workers into apprenticeship roles." 

When talking about Preston as a Real Living Wage place, Phoebe Devenish, Project Manager, Living Wage Places said:

"The impact of a council or major employer accrediting to the real Living Wage can be significant. Accredited Living Wage employers need to ensure both their direct and contracted staff are paid the real Living Wage, leading to pay rises for many workers. Some councils go further, using their local networks and influence to extend broader uptake of the real Living Wage.

In Preston, Preston Council has encouraged other local employers to accredit as Living Wage employers; a quarter of low-paid workers in the city and its surrounds have now received a pay increase due to their place of work becoming an accredited Living Wage employer." 

For more information on Preston being a Real Living Wage city and employer, visit our Living Wage Policy.