The new Independent Remuneration Board (the Board), which is responsible for setting the salaries and pensions of Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), has made its first draft determination.
The Board is now inviting views and feedback on its draft determination from MLAs, the Assembly Commission and the Assembly Members’ Pension Trustees, as part of a two-week consultation. Once this consultation closes on 5 March 2026, the Chairperson and members of the Board will take time to reflect on the responses received and present a final determination to the Assembly Commission for publication and implementation.
The Board has proposed an uplift in salaries for MLAs from £53,000 to £67,200 per year (26.8%), from 1 April 2026. The details of the draft determination have been published today on the Board’s webpage. *
In recognition of public frustration at ‘stop-start government’, the Board has also signalled significant financial sanctions that would apply if an Executive is not formed following the next and subsequent elections – or if at any time the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister become vacant.
Alan Lowry, Chairperson of the Board said: “The Board’s objectives are to provide MLAs with a level of remuneration which fairly reflects the complexity and importance of their work and does not deter anyone from seeking election on financial grounds.
“Our MLAs are elected to demanding roles which they perform within their own constituencies and at Parliament Buildings. They make important decisions around legislation, holding Ministers and Departments to account and their work on the Assembly’s scrutiny committees. It is important this work, as well as representing the views and concerns of their constituents, is recognised and valued.
“It is not appropriate, or fair, to expect MLAs to set their own salaries and the Board operates completely independently of the Assembly and the Assembly Commission.
“We want to ensure that public money is spent with probity, accountability, value for money and transparency. We have made this draft determination having regard to the current financial circumstances in Northern Ireland.
“As a Board, we have taken time to consider the evidence, based on the parameters of legislation. We have taken account of the requirements of the Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Act 2011 – and the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Assembly Members’ Remuneration Board Bill, particularly its recommendation to consider the wider financial circumstances of Northern Ireland.
“In reaching our determination, we also took into account the current salaries of elected representatives in the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments as well as those in Westminster and Dublin. Between 2016-25, an MP’s salary went up by 25%, while Members of the Welsh Senedd, Scottish Parliament and Irish Dáil saw increases of 19%, 23% and 34% respectively. In the same period, MLA pay increased significantly less, by 8%.
“With the previous Independent Financial Review Panel last making a determination in 2016, it is clear the system of MLA pay has not been functioning normally for a decade. Today’s announcement is a corrective measure and, without prejudicing future determinations, the Board would expect those to be considerably smaller adjustments, and more in line with inflationary and other pay trends of the day.
“We recognise these proposals come at a time when public confidence has been impacted by periods in recent years when our political institutions were not sitting and working normally. That is why, as a Board, we were determined that although MLAs should be paid more, that should only be on the basis of them doing their full jobs.
“Informed by the actions the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland took in 2022 on Members’ pay, our draft determination proposes that, should a government not be formed after the 2027 election, MLA salaries will be reduced. In addition, if at any time the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister become vacant, MLA salaries will also be reduced.
“A reduction of 10% would be applied to MLA salaries after six weeks and again at weeks 12 and 18 – if a government had not been formed in line with the Northern Ireland Act 1998 which allows six months for its formation.”
ENDS
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