Welsh politicians set for 6% pay increase
The rise would mean a backbench Senedd member would earn £76,380 a year from April, if the proposals go through.
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Your support makes all the difference.Members of the Welsh parliament could receive a 6% pay rise this year.
The rise would mean a backbench Senedd member would earn £76,380 a year from April, up from £72,057 in 2024.
Proposals for a 6% increase in MSs’ pay have been put forward by the Independent Remuneration Board, as part of its annual review published on Wednesday.
The First Minister, Eluned Morgan, would see her additional salary rise to £90,701, taking her total pay to £167,081, while senior government ministers would get £119,343.
The board’s review focused on its core objectives and principles to ensure members are remunerated fairly and provided with sufficient resources to support them in their duties
The pay rise would also mean the Llywydd – presiding officer – would see her salary increase to £125,310.
The increase is now subject to a public consultation.
Dr Elizabeth Haywood, chairwoman of the remuneration board said the increase took into account “changing circumstances and inflationary pressure”.
She said: “The latest average earnings figure for 2023/24, published in November, has confirmed a three-year period of unexpected and consistent growth in average salaries.
“Retaining the 3% cap on members’ pay, which has been in place since 2021, would contradict this principle and the board therefore proposes an increase of 6% in line with the latest Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings figures for Wales.”
She added: “The board’s review focused on its core objectives and principles to ensure members are remunerated fairly and provided with sufficient resources to support them in their duties, whilst ensuring that decisions are appropriate within the wider financial circumstances of Wales and represent value for money.”
The increase is in line with pay increases at other UK legislatures in recent years, with MPs and Scotland’s MSPs receiving 5.5% and 6.7% pay rises respectively last year.