Independent Remuneration Board

Assembly Members (Salaries) Determination (Northern Ireland) 2026

Assembly Members (Salaries) Determination (Northern Ireland) 2026.pdf (163.6 kb)

Contents

1. Exercise of Functions

2. Salary

3. Salary during the period following an election

4. Salary when the offices of First and deputy First Ministers become vacant

5. Salary if member in prison

6. Double jobbing

7. Pensions

8. Recoupment of payments by the Commission.

9. Interpretation.

10. Revocation.

11.Citation and commencement.

Schedule 1.

First period after the initial period.

Second period after the initial period.

Third period after the initial period.

Schedule 2.

First period after the initial vacancy period.

Second period after the initial vacancy period.

Third period after the initial vacancy period.

Assembly Members (Salaries) Determination (Northern Ireland) 2026

In exercise of the powers conferred on it by section 2(1)(a) of the Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, the Independent Remuneration Board makes the following determination -

1. Exercise of Functions

1.1. Section 2 of the 2011 Act confers on the Board the function of making determinations as to—

(a) the salaries payable to members under section 47 of the 1998 Act, and

(b) the pensions and gratuities payable under section 48 of the 1998 Act.

1.2.  The Board is to exercise those functions with a view to achieving the following objectives—

(a) ensuring probity, accountability and value for money with respect to the expenditure of public funds; and

(b) securing for members a level of remuneration which

(i) fairly reflects the complexity and importance of their functions as members; and

(ii) does not, on financial grounds, deter people with the necessary commitment and ability from seeking election to the Assembly.

1.3.  In making this determination and in accordance with section 2(2A) of the 2011 Act, the Board had regard to the salaries payable to members of -

(a)   the House of Commons,

(b)   the Scottish Parliament,

(c)   Senedd Cymru (the Welsh Parliament),

(d)   Dáil Éireann (the House of Representatives of Ireland), and

(e)   Seanad Éireann (the Senate of Ireland).

2. Salary

2.1. Members and office holders shall be paid the annual salaries set out in Table 1.

2.2. Where a member is in a role listed in Table 1 for only part of a year, the salary shall be paid pro rata.

2.3. Where a member falls within more than one role listed in Table 1, the member shall only be paid the salary of the highest paid role.

Table 1:  members’ and office holders’ annual salaries

2.4.  Salaries shall be paid into an account in a financial institution (such as a bank or building society)—

(a) for which the member is the sole signatory, or

(b) for which the member and the member’s spouse, civil partner or cohabitant are sole signatories.

2.5.   This paragraph is subject to paragraphs 3 - 6.

3. Salary during the period following an election

3.1.  This paragraph applies when an Assembly is elected under section 31 or 32 of the 1998 Act.

3.2.  The salaries payable to members and office holders during the initial period shall be  those set out in Table 1.

3.3.  The salaries payable to members and office holders -

(a)   in the six weeks after the initial period,

(b)   in the six weeks after the period referred to in sub-paragraph (a), and

(c)   after the period referred to in sub-paragraph (b)

shall be those set out in Schedule 1.

3.4.  The ‘initial period’ is the period of six weeks beginning with the day on which the Assembly first meets following the poll in which that Assembly is elected.

4. Salary when the offices of First and deputy First Ministers become vacant

4.1.  This paragraph applies if at any time the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister become vacant otherwise than by virtue of section 16A(11A) of the 1998 Act. 

4.2.  The salaries payable to members and office holders during the initial vacancy period shall be those set out in Table 1.

4.3.  The salaries payable to members and office holders -

(a)   in the six weeks after the initial vacancy period,

(b)   in the six weeks after the period referred to in sub-paragraph (a), and

4.4.  after the period referred to in sub-paragraph (b),

shall be those set out in Schedule 2.

4.5.  The ‘initial vacancy period’ is the period of six weeks beginning with the day on which the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister become vacant otherwise than by virtue of section 16A(11A) of the 1998 Act.

4.6.  This paragraph ceases to apply when paragraph 3.1 applies.

5. Salary if member in prison

For any period during which a member is imprisoned, the member’s salary shall be reduced by 90%.

6. Double jobbing

6.1. This paragraph applies if a member receives a salary as a member of the House of Lords.

6.2. If the member’s only role set out in Table 1 is as a member, the member is not entitled to any salary in respect of the Assembly.

6.3. If the member holds an office set out in Table 1, the member’s salary shall be reduced by the amount to which a member is entitled by virtue of being a member only.

6.4. Where a member falls within this paragraph for only part of a year, the member’s salary shall be paid pro rata.

7. Pensions

A member continues to be entitled to a pension in accordance with the Assembly Members Pension Scheme (as that scheme is from time to time amended).

8. Recoupment of payments by the Commission

Paragraph 39 of the Assembly Members (Office and Staffing Costs and Allowances) Determination (Northern Ireland) 2025 (recoupment of payments made by Commission) applies to payments made under this Determination.

9. Interpretation

9.1. The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 applies to this Determination as it applies to an Act of the Assembly.

9.2. In this Determination -

‘1998 Act’ means the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

‘2011 Act’ means the Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011.

‘Board’ means the Independent Remuneration Board established under section 1 of the 2011 Act.

‘civil partner’ has the meaning given by section 1 of the Civil Partnership Act 2004.

‘cohabitant’ means either member of a couple consisting of a man and woman who are living together as if they were husband and wife; or two persons of the same sex who are living together as if they were civil partners.

‘Commission’ means the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission.

‘initial period’ has the meaning given by paragraph 3.4.

‘initial vacancy period’ has the meaning given by paragraph 4.4.

‘Member’ means member of the Assembly.

‘Ministerial offices’ mean the offices of the First Minister, deputy First Minister and Northern Ireland Ministers.

‘year’ means a period of twelve months commencing on 1 April.

10. Revocation

The Assembly Members (Salaries and Expenses) Determination (Northern Ireland) 2016 is revoked.

11. Citation and commencement

11.1. This Determination comes into operation on 1 April 2026.

11.2. This Determination may be cited as the Assembly Members (Salaries) Determination (Northern Ireland) 2026.

Schedule 1

First period after the initial period

1. If, at the end of the initial period, the Assembly has failed to fill the Ministerial offices, the salaries payable to members and office holders shall be those set out in Table 1A.

Table 1A – annual salaries payable to members and office holders in the first period after the initial period

Second period after the initial period

2. If, six weeks following the end of the initial period, the Assembly has failed to fill the Ministerial offices, the salaries payable to members and office holders shall be those set out in Table 1B.

Table 1B – annual salaries payable to members and office holders in the second period after the initial period

Third period after the initial period

3. If, twelve weeks following the end of the initial period, the Assembly has failed to fill the Ministerial offices, the salaries payable to members and office holders shall be those set out in Table 1C.

Table 1C – annual salaries payable to members and office holders in the third period after the initial period and subsequently

Schedule 2

First period after the initial vacancy period

1. If, at the end of the initial vacancy period, the Assembly has failed to fill the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister, the salaries payable to members and office holders shall be those set out in Table 2A.

Table 2A – annual salaries payable to members and office holders in the first period after the initial vacancy period

Second period after the initial vacancy period

4. If, six weeks following the end of the initial vacancy period, the Assembly has failed to fill the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister, the salaries payable to members and office holders shall be those set out in Table 2B.

Table 2B – annual salaries payable to members and office holders in the in the second period after the initial vacancy period

Third period after the initial vacancy period

5. If, twelve weeks following the end of the initial vacancy period, the Assembly has failed to fill the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister, the salaries payable to members and office holders shall be those set out in Table 2C.

Table 2C – annual salaries payable to members and office holders in the third period after the initial vacancy period and subsequently