The Living Wage flag is flying from the battlements of Cardiff Castle today to mark the beginning of Living Wage Week (November 5-10).

Ahead of the announcement of the new Living Wage rate in Cardiff this morning, the banners represent the Council's commitment to paying the Living Wage and its ambition to become the UK's first Living Wage city.

Cardiff Council has been an accredited Living Wage employer since November 2015. Since then, more than 2,200 full and part-time Council staff have benefitted from a pay rise, mainly women working as breakfast club supervisors, cleaners, domestics, kitchen assistants and midday supervisors.

The authority also supports local businesses and organisations to commit to pay their own employees the Living Wage by offering financial support to  those who become accredited Living Wage employers themselves.  Last year, the Council was named the Living Wage for Wales Champion for 2017-18 by the Living Wage Foundation in recognition of its ‘outstanding contribution to the development of the Living Wage in Wales, above and beyond the requirements of accreditation.'

Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation and Performance, Cllr Chris Weaver, said; "We've made excellent progress since first gaining Living Wage accreditation and by paying the Living Wage - the rateemployees and their families actually need to live on, we know we've made a huge difference to many people in the city.

"We believe that paying the Living Wage is a key indicator of an employer's commitment to fair work practices and have been encouraged by the number of businesses who have come on board too by agreeing to pay their own staff the Living Wage."

There are now 77 accredited Living Wage employers in the city but there are also many organisations already paying their staff at or above the Living Wage rate who have not become accredited. The Council can provide support for these businesses by paying their accreditation fees for three years and is keen to see the number of accredited employers in the city reach the 100 mark by Christmas.

As part of Living Wage Week in Cardiff, Leader of the Council, Cllr Huw Thomas and Cllr Weaver will attend an event with the Living Wage Foundation, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, Sophie Howe, and leading businesses in the city to discuss what a Living Wage city should look like and criteria Cardiff needs to meet to be considered a Living Wage city.

Cllr Weaver continued, "The Living Wage is good for business, good for the individual and good for society.  Figures show that staff are more motivated when they're paid the Living Wage rate and 93% of employers reported they had benefited from accreditation. People who work locally tend to spend their money in the local economy which is good news for the city as a whole.

"We've had an excellent start but it's now time to take the next step in our Living Wage journey andwe need some of the city's major employers and attractions to join us on the way as we aim to become the UK‘s first Living Wage City."

To find out more about support available to local businesses and organisations who would like to become accredited Living Wages employers, visit:https://www.cardiff.gov.uk/ENG/Your-Council/Strategies-plans-and-policies/Living-Wage/Pages/default.aspx