Fair Pay: a Living Wage Wales

Low pay in Wales is widespread, with approximately one in four workers earning less than the Living Wage.

This report explores the problem of low pay in Wales. It considers the benefits and risks of the Living Wage and what this may mean for Wales, as well as the progress that has been made in terms of the number of accredited and non-accredited Living Wage employers.

We recommend that a step-up in action is needed if there is to be significant change in the number of Living Wage employers and employees in Wales. We recommend that the aim should be to reduce the proportion of people earning less than the Living Wage to the UK average (excluding London) within five years – requiring a cut of about 6,000 people a year.

This should be accompanied by:

• a robust strategy which mixes ‘quick wins’ such as employers who are ‘natural sympathisers’ with sectoral approaches where low pay is widespread;
• using tactics that work – especially employer-to-employer messages and development of a Living Wage ‘movement’;
• local and Wales-wide policy and legislation to encourage employers to pay the Living Wage; and,
• a dedicated resource to champion and support the Living Wage, which brings together Welsh Government, trade unions, employer representatives and other campaigners.

The project was kindly supported by Chwarae Teg, Oxfam Cymru and Save the Children Cymru. To find out more about the project and see the other outputs from it, check out the project page.  

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