The Real Living Wage is higher than the National Minimum Wage and is the only UK wage rate based on the cost of living, including factors such as housing costs, food prices, and utility expenses. 

Queen’s has already been paying its employees the Real Living Wage since 2022, and the recent accreditation officially recognises the University’s commitment to ensure employees and any regularly contracted workers are paid the living wage hourly rate. 

Queen’s received the accreditation today at the launch of Advice NI’s Living Wage NI initiative in Parliament Buildings. 

Currently, only 93 organisations in Northern Ireland are Living Wage employers, compared to 3,714 in Scotland and 580 in Wales, underscoring the need for increased advocacy and support for the Living Wage movement across Northern Ireland. 

Professor Sir Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s said:   

“Queen’s is a university that is committed to its social purpose and to delivering for and positively impacting the communities that it serves. This includes leading the way - as part of our civic university agenda – by ensuring that we treat all of our employees, and particularly the lowest paid, with dignity by paying them more than the National Minimum Wage, but rather a living wage as a baseline requirement.  Our people are at the heart of all that we do and we recognise that that earning a wage that supports household and family needs is vital for employee motivation and retention. 

“We are proud to achieve Living Wage accreditation and hope that it will inspire other organisations to follow suit – especially in the context of the current Cost of Living Crisis.” 

The Living Wage accreditation is one of a number of initiatives the University has undertaken during the Cost of Living Crisis to support and invest in their people. These include a new pay deal that will see a base salary increase of 13% over three years for all staff, a one-off payment and an additional day’s leave. Queen’s also developed a Financial Assistance Scheme that allows interest free borrowing of up to £2,400. Other benefits include existing on-site affordable childcare services, discounted sport membership and free period products in bathrooms across campus. 

Living Wage NI aims to increase adoption of the Real Living Wage among employers across Northern Ireland. The initiative is supported by the Department for the Economy and will receive £125,000 funding to promote the programme to other employers. 

Mary McManus, Living Wage NI Regional Manager, said:  

"Congratulations to Queen’s University Belfast on becoming a Living Wage accredited employer. The Living Wage addresses in-work poverty by enabling workers to live decently and reducing the risk of financial difficulty. Businesses increasingly recognise that paying the real living wage is not only the right thing to do but also benefits their operations through improved recruitment, employee motivation and productivity. It also has broader societal benefits by encouraging more businesses to join the movement."