Cornwall recognised for work tackling low and insecure pay
Cornwall’s Living Wage Place campaign aims to tackle low pay and insecure work
Cornwall has been recognised nationally for its work to tackle low and insecure pay.
The Cornwall Living Wage Place (LWP) campaign, launched in 2023, aims to increase the number of local employers paying the real Living Wage – the only wage rate independently calculated to reflect the cost of living.
In a double celebration, Cornwall Council’s Good Growth Programme and Truro Foodbank were also named joint winners of the ‘Local Champions’ award.
The campaign began when Truro Foodbank reported a growing number of working individuals relying on emergency food aid. At that time, 30% of households using the foodbank included someone in work – typically on the government minimum wage or in insecure roles with unpredictable hours and shifts which could be cancelled last minute without pay.
Cornwall Council commissioned research found up to 60,000 workers were paid less than the real Living Wage in 2023 with those in part time work being particularly affected.
This Living Wage Foundation accreditation saw Cornwall become the first county in the UK to achieve this status, at the time joining a national network of 17 other boroughs, cities and city regions working in a place-based way to increase the number of accredited Living Wage employers. From a starting figure of 113 organisations in Cornwall paying the real Living Wage when the campaign began, a 166% increase means more than 300 employers are now registered as real Living Wage employers with the Living Wage Foundation. This means that over 15,000 workers in the county are now guaranteed to receive the real Living Wage which is the only independently verified cost of living pay rate.
Simon Fann, Chair of the Cornwall LWP Group and Manager at Truro Foodbank, said:
"Cornwall’s success reflects the strength of community and shared commitment to tackling one of the defining social and economic challenges of our time. This recognition is a tribute to every individual, business, and organisation that joined forces to make a real difference.”
Kate Kennally, CEO of Cornwall Council said:
"We are incredibly proud that Cornwall has been recognised nationally for its commitment to fair pay. These awards reflect the dedication of our partners across the public, private and voluntary sectors and shows what can be achieved when we work together to tackle low pay and insecure work in Cornwall. Our Good Growth Programme meanwhile has put inclusive, fair and sustainable economic development at the heart of how we invest public money, raising pay for hundreds of workers and setting a new standard for local growth funding."
Katherine Chapman, Director of the Living Wage Foundation said:
"We are delighted to congratulate all our Living Wage Champion Awards winners for their outstanding commitment to the real Living Wage and driving up employment standards. Thanks to their campaigning and advocacy, there are now over 16,000 accredited Living Wage Employers delivering vital cost of living pay rises to nearly half a million workers every year.
"Over 200 Living Hours Employers and more than 70 Living Pension Employers are raising the bar even further to ensure all their workers have security and dignity today and tomorrow. Together the Living Wage movement has put £3.85 billion back into the pockets of low paid workers since the campaign began. I warmly congratulate Cornwall Council, Truro Foodbank and the Cornwall Living Wage Place campaign on their well-deserved awards and thank them for their support for the Living Wage movement."
Representing the Cornwall LWP Action Group to receive the ‘Campaign of the Year’ Champion Award were Simon Fann (Chair), Aryan Shah, the young persons representative, and Toni Sheffield, a lived experience group member.
Toni said: “This is so important for the workers in Cornwall. We need to build on this achievement – it is hugely positive but this needs to be the norm for employers in Cornwall. More firms need to realise the benefits to them and their staff.”
Paying the real Living Wage is about more than just fair pay - it's about dignity, stability, and valuing people. As Aryan Shah, Young Voice representative on the Cornwall LWP Group noted, “For 18–21-year-olds the gap between the government minimum and the real Living Wage is huge. But it’s not only about wages for younger people - ethics, culture, and values matter too”. Businesses looking to attract and retain talent increasingly find that having real Living Wage accreditation signals integrity and commitment.
Simon added: “This award is a genuine recognition of the commitment put in by a whole team of people to assist employees struggling on the lowest, most insecure pay. Getting to this point marks good progress but we must not be complacent. Last year, for the first time ever in the UK, more employed people than those on benefits felt compelled to turn to loan sharks with resultant massive interest and debt. If this campaign means workers can determine their own financial security then that is the true achievement.”