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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Peter Walker Senior political correspondent

Watchdog recommends £2,500 pay rise for UK MPs

MPs in the House of Commons
MPs used to decide on their own annual pay rises but since 2011 the decision has been left to Ipsa. Photograph: House of Commons/PA

MPs should receive a £2,500 pay rise for the next financial year, an increase of 2.8%, the body that recommends their salaries has said.

If the pay rise proposed by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) goes through, it would raise a backbench MP’s salary from £91,346 to just under £94,000.

The year-on-year figure for consumer price index inflation in December was 2.5%, but it is expected to increase as the year goes on.

At the end of last year, ministers recommended a 2.8% pay increase for public sector staff including NHS workers, teachers and senior civil servants, prompting the threat of strikes.

MPs used to decide on their own annual pay rises but since 2011 the decision has been left to Ipsa, which consults on the proposed increase before confirming it.

The question of whether MPs and ministers should accept pay rises is still debated among parliamentarians. Asked about whether Keir Starmer would accept the latest increase, his official spokesperson said pay rises for MPs were a matter for Ipsa.

Richard Lloyd, the chair of Ipsa, said: “Our pay proposal for 2025-26 reflects the experience of the wider working public-sector population, and recognises both the vital role of MPs and the current economic climate.”

The increase is the pay for a backbench MP. Ministers receive additional pay, as does the opposition leader and shadow chief whip and their deputy.

Separately, MPs can claim back expenses accrued as part of their work, which mainly comprises staffing and office costs.

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