Average pay for Britain’s top bosses soared 40% last year… six times a typical worker’s increase.
Between them, 120 greedy company chiefs shared an “obscene” £420million.
The Mirror analysed figures for all 60 FTSE 100 companies that have published annual reports this year.
We looked at total packages – salaries, bonuses, pension payments and other benefits – for 120 chief executives and chief financial officers.
Of those, 54 earned more than last year and 49 made less.
It was not possible to calculate figures for the rest, who started their jobs midway through the year.
The average fatcat raked in £3.5million – 133 times more than a typical worker.
The figure was even higher for the 54 who got an increase. Their average jumped from just under £3m to £4.1m.
But even that is dwarfed by some monstrous windfalls.
Highest paid was Pascal Soriot, boss of pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca, who got £15.3m. His package was slightly lower than the previous year.
Pay and perks for BP boss Bernard Looney rocketed 125% to £10m. The biggest increase went to Chris O’Shea, boss of British Gas owner Centrica.
His total leapt 413% to nearly £4.5m after he ignored calls to waive a bonus as he had done in 2021.
Luke Hildyard, director of think tank the High Pay Centre, called for reform and added: “If some of the millions these companies lavish on multi-millionaire senior executives were instead distributed more sensibly it could fund a significant pay rise for thousands hit by soaring prices.”
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “Working people are seeing living standards plummet. But it is different story for those at the top.
“At a time when millions are struggling, these payouts are obscene.
“We need proper action to tackle corporate greed yet ministers chose to lift the cap on bankers’ bonuses as they hold down key workers’ pay.”
AstraZeneca said Mr Soriot’s package included a long-term bonus scheme that paid out, boosted by a sharp rise in the company’s share price.
Centrica said Mr O’Shea did not get a bonus for four years before the one he received in 2022.
