MPs will see their salary rise to more than £84,000
MPs in both the House of Commons and the Scottish Parliament have received a pay rise from today - the same day that energy bills soar for millions across the country.
From April 1, MPs in the House of Commons will have their salaries raised by more than £2,000 pounds, with their annual salary going up to £84,144 from £81,932.
Meanwhile Scottish Parliament MSP's will receive a marginally lower pay boost, with their pay packet rising from £64,470 to £66,662.
According to the
Office for National Statistics, last April the weekly earning for the average employee in the UK was £611, which works out at £31,772 a year.
The pay rise was set by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), and was announced in February. MPs had been
under pressure for the annual pay increase to be scrapped, with it coming amid a cost of living crisis and on the same day the energy price cap goes up for households across the UK.
Richard Lloyd, IPSA's Chair, said: "MPs play a vital role in our democracy and this is reflected in their pay.
"It is right that MPs are paid fairly for the responsibility and the unseen work they do helping their constituents, which dramatically increased last year."
The pay rise comes on the same day (April 1) that the "the biggest energy price shock in living memory" comes into effect, and just days before a National Insurance hike.
The price cap increase will see the average household pay an extra £700 a year in energy bills.
Policing minister Kit Malthouse, who as a minister of state earns an extra £31,680 on top of his MP salary, bringing his total salary to more than £115,000, said his household was facing a "tricky" time.
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Fuel poverty charity
National Energy Action (NEA) warned the cost of heating an average home has now doubled in 18 months, leaving 6.5 million households unable to live in a warm safe home across the UK.
NEA chief executive Adam Scorer said it was "the biggest energy price shock in living memory."
He continued: "Millions of people will be priced out of adequate levels of heating and power. For all the anticipation of these price rises, many people on the lowest incomes will be crushed by the reality.
"Quality of life for millions of people will plummet. Warm homes, cooked food, hot water, clean clothes - all cut back or cut out. Debt will spiral. Physical and mental health will suffer.
"This energy crisis is about to bite down hard on those least able to cope."
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