- MP pay is set to rise by 5.5 per cent from April
- It means politicians in the Commons will be paid £91,346
- The rise is expected to cause a backlash as people continue to grapple with the cost of living crisis
MPs are set to get a pay rise of 5.5 per cent from April – bringing the overall salary to £91,346, Parliament’s expenses watchdog has announced.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) said the decision had been taken in line with the award recently agreed for the senior civil service.
The increase is considerably larger than the 2.9 per cent pay uplift last year, when the expenses watchdog said it had “considered very carefully” the “extremely difficult” economic backdrop amid the cost-of-living crisis.
It is also higher than the rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation, which latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures suggest stood at 4 per cent in January.
Announcing the 2024 pay decision on Thursday, Richard Lloyd, chair of Ipsa, said: “Ipsa has been responsible for deciding MPs’ pay since 2011. Since then, our aim has been to make fair decisions on pay, both for MPs and the public.
“Serving as an MP should not be reserved to those wealthy enough to fund it themselves. We believe our decision recognises the vital role MPs play in our democracy and considers the continued economic challenges facing the country. We are committed to supporting a Parliament that reflects our society, where people from all walks of life can decide to become MPs.”
Ipsa was created in 2009, largely as a response to the MPs’ expenses scandal, in a bid to make payments more transparent and reach independent decisions on salaries.
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