Pay and allowances for MPs

The current annual salary for an MP is £64,766. In addition, MPs receive allowances to cover the costs of running an office and employing staff, having somewhere to live in London and in their constituency, and travelling between Parliament and their constituency.

Who sets the levels of MPs' pay and allowances?

The Review Body on Senior Salaries (SSRB) is responsible for determining MPs' pay, setting the level of any increase in their salary in line with those in the Civil Service. The SSRB also suggests the amounts paid in allowances to Members of both Houses.

Members' allowances for both Houses

Allowances by MP

More than a million printed documents and receipts have been scanned electronically in a major publishing operation to make information on MPs’ allowances freely available to the public online. These relate to MPs’ claims dating back to 2004/05 and up to 2007/08.

Allowances by MP

Additional payments

In the Commons, some MPs are paid more because of the special jobs they hold. For example, the Speaker and the Chairmen of Select Committees receive an extra salary.

MPs who are also ministers in the Government are paid an extra ministerial salary.

MPs' pensions

There is a contributory pension scheme for Members of the House of Commons to which MPs contribute 10 per cent of their parliamentary salary.

Payments to Opposition parties

Some money is paid to those political parties represented in Parliament who are not in government. This is to help ensure that the Opposition and minority parties have enough funds to carry out their parliamentary role and to put across their views.

The amount given to each party depends on how many people voted for them at the last general election, and how many of their candidates were elected. In the House of Commons this is known as 'Short Money'; in the House of Lords it is known as 'Cranborne money'.