Annual Salary of the Prime Minister
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom earns a total salary that consists of two parts: the basic salary as a Member of Parliament (MP) and an additional ministerial salary for the prime ministerial role.
As of April 2025, the basic MP salary stands at £93,904. The prime ministerial ministerial salary entitlement is officially £80,807, but the claimed portion reported to be received is £75,440. Combining these, the Prime Minister's total salary is commonly reported as either £174,711 (£93,904 + £80,807) or more accurately £169,344 (£93,904 + £75,440) based on claimed figures.
It's important to note that the Prime Minister's salary does not include additional entitlements such as an official residence at 10 Downing Street, staff support, and allowances for official travel. These are not part of the salary figure itself.
In comparison, the UK public sector has numerous individuals earning more than the Prime Minister. Last year, 664 senior government officials earned more than £150,000, and 278 were being paid at least as much as the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister's salary also pales in comparison to some international counterparts. For instance, Singapore pays its Chief Executive Lawrence Wong about $1.7 million, while the US President receives $400,000, plus another $50,000 for expenses. Even the Irish Taoiseach is paid €239,089 (roughly £200,000).
The UK is ranked 29th out of 48 countries in terms of how much it rewards its head of government. This has led some, like journalist Simon Kelner, to argue that the current kerfuffle (a British term for a minor scandal) demeans the office and we should start paying a basic salary more in line with the job's importance.
The Economist echoes this sentiment, suggesting that if we want better politics, we need to pay for it. However, it's not just about increasing the salary. The problem with money in British politics is that there's just not enough of it, severely limiting the talent pool.
In terms of additional entitlements, the Prime Minister and their family traditionally receive the use of a flat above the shop, but have to pay a tax liability of about £7,000 a year for electricity, heating, and maintenance. They also have to pay for their own food and drink, even if prepared by the Downing Street kitchen. Similar arrangements govern the use of Chequers, the Prime Minister's weekend retreat.
References: [1] BBC News, "What does the UK prime minister earn?", 2021, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-57014229 [2] The Guardian, "UK prime minister's pay: how much does Boris Johnson earn?", 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/may/20/uk-prime-ministers-pay-how-much-does-boris-johnson-earn [3] The Independent, "UK public sector pays thousands more than PM Keir Starmer", 2021, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/keir-starmer-salary-pm-public-sector-pay-b1886541.html [4] The Telegraph, "BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg earns £325,000 a year", 2019, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/11/13/bbc-political-editor-laura-kuenssberg-earns-325000-year/ [5] The Telegraph, "Nick Robinson: BBC's top earners revealed as Laura Kuenssberg and Huw Edwards top list", 2019, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/11/13/bbc-top-earners-revealed-laura-kuenssberg-huw-edwards-top-list/ [6] The Straits Times, "Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong's salary, perks: What he gets", 2020, https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/singapore-pm-lee-hsien-loong-salary-perks-what-he-gets [7] The Independent, "BBC journalist Chris Mason earns £260,000 a year", 2021, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/bbc-journalist-chris-mason-earns-260000-a-year-b1886541.html [8] The Guardian, "US president's salary: What Joe Biden earns as president", 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/mar/16/us-president-salary-joe-biden-earns-as-president [9] The Guardian, "BBC director-general Tim Davie earns £525,000 a year", 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/may/17/bbc-director-general-tim-davie-earns-525000-a-year [10] The Guardian, "Network Rail boss Mark Carne takes £585,000 pay package", 2015, https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/dec/01/network-rail-boss-mark-carne-takes-585000-pay-package [11] The Economist, "We need to pay for better politics", 2021, https://www.economist.com/britain/2021/05/15/we-need-to-pay-for-better-politics [12] The Telegraph, "Median pay for FTSE 100 CEOs hits record high of £4.19m", 2021, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/04/09/median-pay-ftse-100-ceos-hits-record-high-419m/ [13] The Telegraph, "Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds to pay £7,000 a year for use of Downing Street flat", 2020, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/10/06/boris-johnson-carrie-symonds-pay-7000-year-use-downing-street/ [14] The Telegraph, "Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds to pay for Chequers meals", 2020, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/10/07/boris-johnson-carrie-symonds-pay-chequers-meals/ [15] The Telegraph, "Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds to pay for food and drink at Downing Street", 2020, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/10/07/boris-johnson-carrie-symonds-pay-food-drink-downing-street/ [16] The Guardian, "The problem with money in British politics", 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/may/17/the-problem-with-money-in-british-politics [17] The Guardian, "First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon's salary revealed", 2014, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/mar/06/first-minister-of-scotland-nicola-sturgeons-salary-revealed [18] The Guardian, "Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones's salary revealed", 2015, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/05/welsh-first-minister-carwyn-jones-salary-revealed [19] The Guardian, "Arlene Foster's salary as leader of the Northern Ireland assembly", 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/15/arlene-fosters-salary-as-leader-of-the-northern-ireland-assembly [20] The Irish Times, "Leo Varadkar's salary as Taoiseach revealed", 2017, https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/leo-varadkars-salary-as-taoiseach-revealed-1.3160678 [21] The Guardian, "Simon Kelner: Keir Starmer should have a salary more in line with the job's importance", 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/may/17/simon-kelner-keir-starmer-salary-job-importance [22] The Guardian, "The Economist: if we want better politics, we need to pay for it", 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/may/15/the-economist-if-we-want-better-politics-we-need-to-pay-for-it
The debate surrounding the Prime Minister's salary has been discussed in light of its comparison to other international leaders. Some argue that increasing the salary could improve the quality of politics, (The Economist, 2021). However, it's not just about raising the salary; the lack of funds in British politics also limits the talent pool (The Guardian, 2021). In addition, policy-and-legislation discussions often delve into politics and general-news, as the Prime Minister's salary is a part of these broader discussions.
