MLA pay to rise to £68,544 despite 90% opposition, with new penalties for Stormont deadlock
Thursday 5 November 2026
MLAs will receive a 2% pay rise following next year’s Northern Ireland Assembly election, after overwhelming opposition from consultation respondents prompted an independent board to scale back its original proposals.
The basic annual salary will increase from £67,200 to £68,544 when the new Assembly first sits in 2027, representing an additional £1,344 a year.
The Independent Remuneration Board had originally proposed a 3% increase, taking salaries to £69,216, but reduced the figure after more than nine out of ten consultation respondents said the proposed salary was too high.
The revised arrangements, published on Thursday 5 November, will govern MLA pay throughout the 2027–2032 Assembly mandate and introduce limits on future increases alongside financial penalties if Northern Ireland is left without a functioning Executive.
Public opposition leads to reduced increase
More than 270 people responded to the Board’s four-week consultation, which ran from 19 September to 15 October 2026.
According to the Board, more than 90% disagreed that the proposed salary appropriately reflected the complexity and importance of an MLA’s responsibilities.
Alan Lowry, Chairperson of the Independent Remuneration Board, said the responses had directly influenced the final decision.
“We are grateful to more than 270 individuals who took the time to respond to our consultation, providing us with feedback and constructive commentary. We considered what people told us and, as a result, made significant adjustments to our proposals.
“More than nine out of ten respondents told us that the proposed MLA salary was too high and disagreed that it appropriately reflected the complexity and importance of the MLA role.
“In our draft Determination, we had proposed a 3% rise to MLA pay that would take effect at the start of the new mandate in 2027. This would have increased salaries from £67,200 to £69,216, but having considered the public feedback, we have reduced this to 2% and a corresponding increase in salary to £68,544.
“A reduced cap on the annual percentage increase will be put in place after that date, limiting the overall financial impact of the changes. This final Determination is now being presented to the Assembly Commission for publication and implementation.”
Future pay rises capped at 2%
From 31 March 2028, annual adjustments to MLA salaries will be linked to changes in median weekly earnings for full-time employees in Northern Ireland, as measured by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).
However, any annual increase will be capped at 2%, even if earnings growth exceeds that level. The Board had previously proposed a higher cap of 3%.
The arrangement is intended to keep Assembly salaries broadly aligned with wider earnings trends while limiting increases over the five-year mandate.
Mr Lowry said the Board had sought to balance the responsibilities of elected representatives with public confidence in how their pay is determined.
“MLAs carry out a wide range of important duties, from representing constituents and scrutinising legislation to holding Ministers and Departments to account. It is right that their remuneration recognises the complexity and importance of those responsibilities, while ensuring that financial considerations do not discourage people from seeking elected office.”
Salary penalties if Stormont government collapses
The Determination also establishes financial sanctions if an Executive is not formed following an Assembly election, or if the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister become vacant.
Under the arrangements, MLA salaries would be subject to successive 10% reductions at specified intervals if an Executive remained unformed.
The reductions would apply:
• After six weeks without an Executive
• Again after 12 weeks
• Again after 18 weeks
The measures are intended to introduce financial consequences during periods of political deadlock, within the 24-week statutory period provided for under the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
Mr Lowry described the sanctions as significant, confirming that they would apply following the next and subsequent elections and during any qualifying vacancy in the joint leadership of the Executive.
Additional payments for Assembly roles
The Determination also covers additional salary payments for MLAs holding certain Assembly offices, reflecting responsibilities beyond those of an ordinary member.
Unlike basic MLA salaries, these additional payments will remain unchanged throughout the 2027–2032 mandate.
Where an MLA holds more than one qualifying office, they will receive only the highest applicable additional payment rather than multiple allowances.
A separate Determination covering MLA pensions is expected to be published at a later date.
The new basic salary will take effect from the first sitting of the Assembly following the 2027 election, which must take place within the statutory eight-day period.
For taxpayers, the decision means a smaller initial increase than originally proposed, a lower ceiling on subsequent annual rises and a new system of salary reductions linked to periods without an Executive. The actual cost of future annual increases will depend on earnings growth in Northern Ireland.
