With just 135 employers across the North signed up to the Real Living Wage charter, campaigner Mary McManus says we've a long way to go to create a society where all working families can enjoy "a dignified life".

With one-in-five workers in the North earning less than the Real Living Wage of £12.60 per hour (the National Minimum Wage is £11.44), firms which commit to the higher level are signalling they value their employees, says Mary. 

"For employers, being accredited with the Real Living Wage signals their commitment to treating people fairly and, indeed, it speaks to the values of their company," she says. "For me, it's an absolute pleasure to speak with companies who are thinking about how they treat their people and the positive impact they can make on their lives."

And yet while Scotland can boast of 4,000 employers — including public sector bodies — aligned with the Real Living Wage commitment, the North of Ireland has the lowest number of sign-ups in these islands.

"The Real Living Wage is about making life more affordable for ordinary people," explains Mary. "It's about getting enough in your wage packet for a dignified life. Anyone paid below the Real Living Wage can struggle to heat a home or pay the bills."

The Northern Ireland Executive and Belfast City Council are among local bodies which have been early adopters of the Real Living Wage. 

It's Mary's job to proselytise for a fair wage packet and having spent two decades heading up advice services in East Belfast, she is well-aware of the hardships faced by those on the coalface of the cost-of-living crisis. 

But it's not just the titans of the business world who have signed up to go the extra £1+ for their employees; Mary posed for our photographer outside Nine Squared, Belfast's newest café on Queen Street which is the latest Belfast company to become a Real Living Wage employer!

You can find out more about becoming a Living Wage Employer on the Advice NI website.