MPs' pay to rise by 5% to £98,599 a year from April

MPs' basic salary will rise by 5% to £98,599 a year from April, Westminster's expenses watchdog has said.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) said it was also aiming to move towards a salary of around £110,000 by the end of the Parliament, due in 2029.

Ipsa chairman Richard Lloyd said the role of an MP had "evolved", with parliamentarians "dealing with higher levels of complex casework, and abuse and intimidation".

But the Taxpayers' Alliance said the public would be "seething to see politicians receive an inflation-busting pay rise, all while they suffer a personal recession".

The group's chief executive, John O'Connell, said: "After years of broken promises, falling living standards and deteriorating public services, MPs are being rewarded for failure with a princely pay boost."

Inflation - the rate prices are rising - is currently 3%, according to the latest figures for January.

The watchdog benchmarked MPs' pay against other senior civil roles and similar democracies worldwide, as well as the wider economic context.

IPSA's pay decision for 2026-27 includes a 1.5% benchmarking adjustment, as well as a 3.5% cost-of-living increase.

MPs also receive expenses to cover the cost of running an office, having somewhere to live in London or their constituency, and travelling between Parliament and their constituency.

Some MPs are paid more because they have additional roles, such as chairing a committee or ministers.

UK MPs are paid slightly more than their equivalents in France, Japan and New Zealand but less than those in Ireland, Italy, Canada, Australia, Germany and US, where annual salaries are more than £100,000.

Ipsa also compared MPs' salaries to public sector roles such as senior managers in the Civil Service, who have an average annual salary of £88,049 and NHS consultants, whose starting salaries are £106,242.

Ipsa chairman Richard Lloyd said: "The role of an MP has evolved. They are dealing with higher levels of complex casework, and abuse and intimidation towards MPs and their staff has been growing.

"In reaching our decision for 2026-27 we have benchmarked MPs' pay against other responsible, senior roles in civic society and similar worldwide democracies, as well as considering our own core principles and the wider economic context.

"In future years we will continue to consider prevailing economic and fiscal conditions when confirming annual pay decisions taking into account the experience of people outside of parliament."

Earlier this month, the government announced that NHS staff in England and Wales - excluding doctors, dentists and senior managers - would get a 3.3% pay rise from April.

For resident doctors in England, the government has suggested a 2.5% pay increase from April, which is now being considered by the independent pay review body.

In the Civil Service, departments are able to make average pay awards of up to 3.25% for 2025/26.

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