The council’s Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at the local authority receive the Living Wage rate of £9.50 per hour from April 2021. This rate is higher than the statutory minimum for over 25s of £8.72 per hour introduced in April 2020. 

As a result of the commitment, there are now 22 Living Wage accredited local authorities in Scotland. 

East Renfrewshire Council leader, Councillor Tony Buchanan, said: “We are delighted to become an accredited Living Wage employer and this milestone represents the latest step in our journey to creating a fairer future for all in East Renfrewshire. We are firmly committed to tackling poverty and inequalities across the area.

“This accreditation not only ensures we have fair work policies in place for our own staff, we are also now in a better position, through this accreditation, to promote the Living Wage beyond the council to our many local partners, employers and through our supply chain.”

As key employers, councils can have a significant impact in their local area by becoming accredited, as suppliers contracted to deliver services with the council are encouraged to pay the real Living Wage, bringing extra income to low paid workers.

Business and fair work minister Jamie Hepburn said: “I am pleased to see East Renfrewshire Council announcing their Living Wage Accreditation today. It is a great way to close Living Wage Week 2020 and I’d like to congratulate the local authority on its achievement. The Scottish Government has long championed the payment of the Living Wage and the real benefits to our people, communities and economy of treating people more fairly.”

Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance, said: “The Living Wage accreditation of East Renfrewshire Council is a signal of their commitment to tackle low pay and in-work poverty in the local communities they serve. Workers need a wage that meets their everyday needs, but too many workers across Scotland are locked into poverty.

“The pandemic has shone a light on the important role of essential workers in keeping our society going, and it’s now more important than ever that these workers are valued with a real Living Wage, enabling them to continue delivering important services that we all rely on. I hope that more follow the lead of East Renfrewshire Council and join the growing movement of businesses and organisations that are going further to ensure workers and their families have what they need to thrive.”

Lynn Anderson, Living Wage Scotland interim manager, said: “Congratulations to East Renfrewshire Council on becoming an accredited Living Wage Employer. Local authorities are not only large employers with significant spending power, but also have an important leadership role in the growth of the Living Wage employer movement.

“I hope to see even more public sector anchor institutions like East Renfrewshire Council demonstrate that even in these difficult times, that positive action can be taken to ensure both directly employed and contracted staff are paid the real Living Wage.”