Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has now been accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Our Living Wage commitment will see no one working at the council paid below the current minimum hourly wage of £10.90, higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £10.42 per hour.
This announcement of accreditation follows on from agreement by Cabinet in 2021, in which all of our contracted adult independent social care workers, as well as all direct payment recipients, received the Real Living Wage from 2021. The Council was already providing the Real Living Wage to in-house social care workers and domiciliary care workers in the independent sector.
In Wales, more than a tenth of all workers (11.8%) earn less than they need to get by, with around 144,000 jobs paying less than the real Living Wage.Despite this, we have committed to pay the real Living Wage in RCT.
The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that wish to ensure staff earn a reasonable wage they can live on, not just the government minimum. Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 450,000 people and put over £2 billion extra into the pockets of low paid workers.
Councillor Maureen Webber, Deputy Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, said:
“I am extremely proud that Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has been accredited as a Living Wage Employer.
“We were already paying many of our staff the Real Living Wage, especially those working in the social care sector, however, we have now gone over and above that.
“Better pay benefits everyone, from the person receiving it to the local businesses in which they shop. It also helps us as an employer to attract and retain the staff that deliver the vital services that the nearly a quarter of a million residents in Rhondda Cynon Taf rely on.”
Deputy Minister for Social Partnership, Hannah Blythyn said:
“I’m really pleased that Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council has received accreditation as a Living Wage employer. This is a huge achievement and one that will put more money into the pockets of its workforce.
“It is also a practical demonstration of the important role public bodies in Wales have in leading by example when it comes to the real living wage. Cynnal Cymru are committed to continuing to build on this success throughout the year to encourage other employers to follow suit.”
Living Wage Wales Senior Programme Lead Harry Thompson said:
“We’re thrilled to welcome Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council to the Living Wage Wales family, joining over 500 employers covering more than 150,000 employees.
“Living Wage Wales has just celebrated its most successful month, and we’re really pleased to see the momentum Living Wage Wales is developing and the impact this is having in reducing in-work poverty. Our message to all employers in Wales is that joining this movement is not beyond you – Living Wage Wales can work with you to accredit and enjoy the business benefits of being a real Living Wage employer. We’d encourage all employers in Wales to get in touch with Living Wage Wales to discuss becoming a real Living Wage employer.”
