Stormont MLAs Could See Pay Rise to Almost £70,000

Stormont MLAs could see their basic annual salary rise from £67,200 to £69,216 under a new draft determination published by the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Independent Remuneration Board.

The 3% increase would take effect from the first sitting of the new Northern Ireland Assembly mandate following the 2027 election.

The proposals come only months after MLA basic salaries increased from around £53,000 to £67,200.

Members of the public can now respond to the consultation before the Independent Remuneration Board finalises its decision.

Stormont politicians could receive another pay increase, with the basic MLA salary proposed to rise to £69,216 a year from the beginning of the next Northern Ireland Assembly mandate.

The Independent Remuneration Board has published its draft pay arrangements for the 2027-32 Assembly mandate.

Under the proposals, the basic salary paid to Members of the Legislative Assembly would increase from £67,200 to £69,216.

That represents an increase of £2,016 a year, or 3%.

How Much Do Stormont MLAs Currently Earn?

The current basic salary for a Stormont MLA is £67,200 per year.

Under the new proposals:

• Current basic MLA salary: £67,200
• Proposed salary: £69,216
• Annual increase: £2,016
• Percentage increase: 3%
• Proposed start date: First sitting of the 2027-32 Assembly mandate

The proposed increase would apply regardless of earnings figures published before the new mandate begins.

The latest proposal follows a much larger increase introduced earlier in 2026, when basic MLA salaries rose from around £53,000 to £67,200.

The board said that earlier increase was intended as a corrective measure because arrangements for reviewing and setting MLA pay had not operated effectively for almost a decade.

Future MLA Pay Could Rise Every Year

The draft determination also proposes a new system for adjusting MLA salaries throughout the next Assembly mandate.

From 31 March 2028, MLA salaries could be adjusted annually in line with increases in median weekly earnings for full-time workers in Northern Ireland.

However, any annual increase would be capped at 3%.

The figures would be based on the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency’s Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.

The Independent Remuneration Board said this system was designed to keep MLA salaries broadly aligned with wider earnings and inflation trends in Northern Ireland.

Why Has the Pay Rise Been Proposed?

Independent Remuneration Board chair Alan Lowry said MLAs perform a wide range of responsibilities.

These include:

• Representing constituents
• Scrutinising legislation
• Holding ministers and government departments to account
• Serving on Assembly committees
• Carrying out constituency work

Mr Lowry said remuneration should recognise the responsibilities associated with being an MLA while ensuring financial considerations do not discourage people from seeking elected office.

Michelle O’Neill Criticises Proposed Pay Rise

The proposal has faced criticism from politicians at Stormont.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill described the proposed increase as “grotesque” and said Sinn Féin would oppose it during the consultation process.

Alliance deputy leader Eóin Tennyson has also criticised the proposal, saying MLAs were already adequately paid.

The comments followed publication of the proposed 3% increase on Thursday, 17 September.

Can MLAs Stop Their Own Pay Rise?

Questions have also emerged over whether Stormont politicians can actually block the increase if the Independent Remuneration Board decides to proceed with it.

According to reporting by The Irish News, legislation establishing the independent remuneration system did not include a mechanism allowing MLAs simply to vote down a determination.

The Assembly has said that if the final determination is not changed substantially from the draft proposal, there is currently no mechanism for stopping its implementation.

Individual MLAs would still be able to make charitable donations through the Assembly payroll or voluntarily return money to Northern Ireland’s Consolidated Fund.

What Happens if Stormont Cannot Form an Executive?

The pay arrangements also contain financial penalties for MLAs if an Executive cannot be formed following an election.

A 10% reduction could be applied to MLA salaries after six weeks without an Executive.

Further 10% reductions could then be imposed after 12 weeks and 18 weeks.

These sanctions are designed to reduce politicians’ salaries during prolonged periods when Northern Ireland’s devolved government is not operating normally.

Ministers and Other Stormont Office Holders Receive Extra Pay

The £69,216 figure relates to the basic MLA salary.

Politicians who hold ministerial or senior Assembly positions receive additional remuneration on top of their basic MLA salary.

The draft determination contains separate payments for positions including:

• First Minister
• deputy First Minister
• Executive ministers
• Assembly Speaker
• Deputy Speakers
• Committee chairs
• Other qualifying Assembly office holders

The basic MLA salary could increase during the next mandate under the earnings-linked formula, while the additional office-holder payments are proposed to remain unchanged during the 2027-32 mandate.

You can view the Northern Ireland Assembly’s official announcement and draft determination here.

Public Can Have Their Say on Stormont MLA Pay

The Independent Remuneration Board is consulting MLAs, the Assembly Commission and Assembly Members’ Pension Trustees before reaching its final decision.

Members of the public have also been invited to submit their views.

Respond to the official Northern Ireland Assembly consultation here.

The board said all responses received during the consultation period will be considered before a final determination is presented to the Assembly Commission for publication and implementation.

What Happens Next?

Once the consultation has concluded, the Independent Remuneration Board will consider the responses it has received.

It will then publish its final determination covering MLA salaries during the 2027-32 Northern Ireland Assembly mandate.

If the current proposal remains in place, an MLA’s basic salary will increase from £67,200 to £69,216 from the first sitting day following the 2027 Assembly election.

Have Your Say

What do you think about the proposed increase in MLA salaries?

Should Stormont politicians’ pay increase alongside earnings in Northern Ireland, or should MLA salaries remain at their current level?