Consultation on automatic MPs' Staff pay increases

We are currently running a consultation on proposed new arrangements for MPs’ staff pay.

The proposal is that IPSA would apply, by default, a pay increase for all staff in line with any increase that is applied to the staffing budget in a given year.

This would bring the treatment of staff members more in line with practice in other parts of the public sector. It would also reduce the administrative burden by removing the need for MPs to request changes in salary for individual staff members each year.

We know that many staff members have seen significant increases in workload in recent years, as the expectations on MPs’ offices have changed, and as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

We want to make sure that staff members are provided with appropriate support, and part of that is ensuring that they are fairly paid, including the provision of annual increases where MPs’ budgets allow for it.

MPs would still ultimately retain control over their budgets and their staff members’ salaries. The proposal is that MPs would have the ability to opt-out of the automatic arrangements, for example, where a pay increase may not be appropriate in a particular case.

Subject to the outcome of this consultation, we would look to implement this new arrangement from the 2021-22 financial year.

Our proposals are set out in more detail in the consultation document.

If you would like to respond to the consultation, please use the online survey. Alternatively, please send your response to consultation@theipsa.org.uk.

The consultation will close on 10 January 2021.