Living Wage Week 2025: The Difference It Makes

This week (10th – 16th November) is Living Wage Week – an annual celebration and recognition of the importance of a real Living Wage.

At Feeding Liverpool, we are proud to be a Living Wage employer.

As the city’s food alliance, much of our work focuses on tackling the root causes of poverty and hunger, and we continue to work with people and organisations to improve access to fresh, affordable and culturally-appropiate food. We believe that Liverpool can, and should, be a city where good food is a right – not a privilege.

 

Why The Living Wage Matters

As an organisation, we believe that work is about value, respect and security, and that the wage we receive for our work should reflect this.

The issue of in-work poverty is a serious and concerning one. Across Liverpool and the UK, many people in work are still struggling to afford the essentials: rent, heating and good food. For too many, paid work does not pay.

We know that in-work poverty has far-reaching consequences. Through our partnerships and projects, we have seen first-hand how the pressures of low income can affect people’s health, wellbeing and dignity. We believe that every person in work should be able to afford a decent and dignified standard of living, including putting good food on the table. We also believe that every person in work should feel valued, respected and secure in their employment.

Becoming a Living Wage Employer reflects our commitment to these principles in our own organisation.

 

Connecting the Dots: Work, Welfare and Justice

Last year, we co-authored the report ‘Without Access to Justice: The Work and Welfare Problems Driving Food Insecurity’. This report explored how insecure jobs, zero-hour contracts, low pay and a broken welfare safety net are leaving too many people unable to make ends meet – and, too often, unable to afford food.

As written in the report:

The level at which minimum wages are currently set are below the level of a ‘Real Living Wage’. This means that the law, even when it is adhered to, is not providing a sufficent income for a decent life to people who are working full-time.

One of our key policy recommendations was for the government to revise the minimum wage to ensure that no one works for less than the Real Living Wage. We believe this is essential to tackling the root causes of food insecurity and creating a fairer society.

 

SuSu’s New Orleans Kitchen

Last week, we made a visit to SuSu’s New Orleans Kitchen, which was opened in Molly Malone’s Irish Pub on Victoria Street by friends Reggie and Adam in June 2025. As an accredited Living Wage employer, Head Chef Adam Williams talked to us about their commitment to taking care of staff and supporting the wider community.

For SuSu’s, paying a living wage is a simple decision, fitting in with their values and vision:

By continously celebrating the flavours of Louisians and nuturing relationships with our employees and customers, we aim to cultivate a space where everyone feels at home and valued.

SuSu’s have shown a commitment to working with local suppliers, contributing further to our local food economy. Bexley’s Craft Butchers provide the smoked Cajun sausage, which is prepared to SuSu’s authentic recipe and is a key ingredient in their ‘Holy Trinity of dishes – Jambalaya, Gumbo and Red Beans & Rice. Wirral’s Born to Bake also provide the classic French bread for their Famous Shrimp Bread and Poboy sandwiches.

SuSu’s believes in embedding themselves in their local community; on the last Wednesday of each month, they provide a meal for the underserved in the area, recently cooked for 38 members of staff and residents at the Ann Fowler House. In their own words:

We aspire to inspire a culture where good food and good people come together, creating a ripple effect of kindness and positivity.

Paying a living wage means that staff feel valued and are, therefore, more likely to stay on long-term; this ensures that the time spent training and developing staff skills comes back to benefit the business. In this way, paying the living wage is a win-win for employees and employers alike.

Feeding Liverpool applaud the team at SuSu’s for their approach to working with people and the community. We are committed to supporting and celebrating local food businesses, and would love to connect with more across the city. If you would like to know how Feeding Liverpool can work with you, please get in touch with our Food Enterprise Coordinator.

 

A Call to Others 

We believe that a Living Wage can make a difference both in the home and in work, and we encourage those in our network and beyond to recognise that implementing a Living Wage has the power to effect real change.

Paying the real Living Wage is one way employers can show that they value their team, while also taking practical steps to ensure that people are able to afford a devent standard of living. It’s a direct expression of the belief that good work deserves fair pay, and that this fairness, in turn, strengthens both our workplaces and our communities.

As we celebrate Living Wage Week, we invite other organisations across Liverpool to join the movement, helping to build a city where everyone can thrive.

When everyone is paid enough to live well, we all benefit; our peope, our communities, our workplaces and our city.

 

Learn More