Cardiff Council has been a Living Wage employer since 2015 and we believe that paying the Living Wage is a key indicator of an employer's commitment to fair work practices.
We are working to promote the Living Wage across the wider local business community.
Our aim is to support and encourage as many local businesses as possible to commit to paying their employees the Living Wage.
We are offering financial support of up to £825 to Cardiff businesses with up to 250 employees if they become accredited Living Wage employers. The scheme will apply to all employers who occupy a non-domestic property within Cardiff Council's area and are liable for the payment of Business Rates and not being in deficit.
How much grant am I entitled to?
The level of financial assistance you can get will depend on what type of organisation you are and the number of employees you have. The maximum you can claim could be up to £825.
| Type of organisation | 0 to 10 employees | 11 to 50 employees | 51 to 250 employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private sector | £207 | £411 | £825 |
| Public sector and charities | £207 | £411 | £825 |
Claiming the grant
To qualify for the grant, your Cardiff-based business must become accredited with the Living Wage Foundation. There is a small fee for this - see the table below. The financial support offered is a one-off and cannot be back dated and will be on a first come first served basis until our overall contribution equals £50,000. If you are interested:
- Apply for accreditation
- Complete the application form (Word doc, 67 KB)
- Read the terms and conditions (PDF, 131 KB)
- Send a copy of your accredited licence agreement and completed application form to [email protected].
- We will then write to tell you how much financial support you are entitled to.
Cost of accreditation to the Living Wage Foundation
From April 2026
| Type of organisation | 0 to 10 employees | 11 to 50 employees | 51 to 250 employees | 251 to 500 employees | 500+ employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private Sector | £100 | £150 | £290 | £590 | £3,640 |
| Public sector and charities | £100 | £150 | £290 | £590 | £590 |
Accreditation
To become an official accredited Living Wage employer, you need to complete a short form to confirm that you pay all your staff a Living Wage and have a plan to pay anyone who works on your premises such as cleaners and contractors the Living Wage. This ensures that those in your supply chain on the lowest pay can cover their basic needs.
Cynnal Cymru - Sustain Wales has recently become the official Living Wage Foundation accreditation body in Wales. Accreditation is quick and licences are processed within 10 working days.
