Members of Parliament will receive a 2.9% pay increase beginning in April, raising their annual salary from £84,144 to £86,584. But do you believe they deserve this raise?
According to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), which sets MPs’ pay, the 2.9 percent increase is in line with the average public sector worker’s raise in 2022/23.
“In confirming MPs’ pay for next year, we have once again considered very carefully the extremely difficult economic circumstances, the government’s evolving approach to public sector pay in light of forecasted rates of inflation, and the principle that MPs’ pay should be reflective of their responsibility in our democracy,” said Richard Lloyd, chair of IPSA.
“Our aim is to ensure that pay is fair for MPs, regardless of their financial circumstances, to support the most diverse of parliaments.”
Many public sector workers have gone on strike, demanding pay increases above the rate of inflation to help households cope with Britain’s cost-of-living crisis. Strikers include nurses, paramedics, teachers, rail workers, and postal workers. Some unions have threatened to strike until their demands are met, but English ministers have warned that they are unaffordable.
So what do you think? Do MPs deserve a pay rise? Let your voice be heard!