Barnet Council accredits as a Living Wage employer!

Barnet Council accredits as a Living Wage employer!

Written by Bob Bevil from Chipping Barnet Foodbank, a member of North London Citizens.

I grew up on a council estate near Chipping Barnet Foodbank where I work. As a youngster, I thought that poor wages were normal as it was the reality for many people I knew. I have vivid memories of neighbours knocking on each other’s doors to borrow a “few quid” till next pay day. That started to change when I left and trained as a social worker.

Before long, I found myself building care packages for some of the most vulnerable people in the community. It was at this point that I found out what the care workers were earning for their invaluable work which, in my opinion, was a travesty.

Now, years later, I am the Campaign and Advocacy Lead at Chipping Barnet Foodbank. Put simply, the penny has dropped! There are far too many people who are working and need our emergency food services because their wages do not stretch to cover the essentials to live with dignity. It is not “how things are,” it is a structural problem! I now look on my youth with fresh eyes.

In November 2024, Chipping Barnet Foodbank was involved in hosting a local Food Security Summit. The event was attended by a large and varied audience including our local MP, residents, charities, councillors, food bank clients, academics and more. Importantly, we made the event into an opportunity for the community to be listened to and co-create a plan and campaigns to improve food security and challenge poverty locally.

The fact that too many residents coming to the borough’s food banks were sub-contracted to the council or the Royal Free Trust informed our new and growing Living Wage Campaign. The North London Citizens UK chapter had been having ongoing discussions about the council accrediting as a Living Wage Employer so now was the opportune time to join forces and build power.

Chipping Barnet Foodbank joined the North London chapter, followed by a meeting with the Leader of Barnet Council at which we shared our summit findings. The campaign grew to bring in new people and groups, gain coverage in the local media, and educate those interested at a “Launch & Learn” educational evening hosted at the food bank in November 2025 – a year to the day after the summit!

In March 2026, the London Borough of Barnet accredited as a Living Wage Employer. Our campaign had served its function and the campaign team celebrated at the Town Hall bestowing flowers and cards on the members of the Health and Wellbeing Board who were present.

But we must go again! There is a difference between accrediting as a Living Wage Employer and delivering a meaningful programme of change for our residents. We will work with the council to grasp that opportunity. But the bigger opportunity is the Royal Free Foundation Trust. This trust is recognised as the biggest employer in the borough, so accreditation as a Living Wage Employer will put money back into the pockets of sub-contracted cleaners, porters, security guards, and caterers, among others.

We look forward to the opportunity to work in partnership with the Royal Free Foundation Trust to reduce the necessity for neighbours to knock on each other’s doors to borrow a “few quid” till pay day – that indelible memory!