HALF a million pounds is the price of making sure every Gloucestershire County Council employee earns at least enough to cover the basic costs of living.
Just shy of 900 Shire Hall employees currently earn less than the living wage, which is set at £7.45 per hour – substantially higher than the national minimum wage of £6.19.
The authority is investigating making a commitment to pay all employees at least the Living Wage, but doing so would require an annual injection of £501,000.
The vast majority of the 896 council employees who would benefit from a pledge work in the county's schools.
Almost 800 people working in education earn less than the living wage, which is defined as a salary high enough to maintain basic standards of living.
In addition, 119 are employed in council roles with the overall number equating to 245 full-time positions.
A commitment to the living wage was outlined in the Labour group's 2013 manifesto.
Councillor Lesley Williams (Lab, Stonehouse), leader of the Labour group, said: "As a principle it is something everybody and anybody should be aiming for, but one has to be responsible about it because we all know county councils are having to find money all of the time."
A report into the financial repercussions is due to be presented to the county council's overview and scrutiny management committee tomorrow.
The report sets out who the council employs who earn less than the £14,372 living wage.
Ninety eight of the employees concerned carry out manual work, while 21 are in administrative roles.
And 347 permanent and fixed term school staff are pupil supervisors, while 181 are cleaners.
Bringing in the measure would see staff at one secondary, seven special and 140 primary schools receive a financial lift.
No school would be hit by more than one per cent of their previous salary budget.
Ninety four per cent of all affected school employees are female.
Citizens Advice Bureau manager Norman Gardner said: "A responsible employer should be looking at this.
"An extra £40 a week to feed children, clothe them, pay for the heating – that would go a colossal way."