The Real Living Wage

In July 2020, Sunderland City Council was accredited by Citizens UK and the Living Wage Foundation as a 'UK Living Wage Employer'.

The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate that is voluntarily paid by organisations and businesses who believe their staff deserve a fair day's pay for a hard day's work. The Real Living Wage, which is calculated on actual living cots, is higher than the National Living Wage.

As a Real Living Wage Employer, Sunderland City Council has committed to:

• Pay the real UK Living Wage to all directly employed staff over the age of 18 years
• Ensure all our third-party contracted and sub-contracted regular, on-site staff are paid the real UK Living Wage
• Increase the wages of these employees and contracted staff to the Living Wage, if appropriate, within six months of any rise in the calculated Living Wage rates