25 September 2025
Salaries for Members of the Senedd (MSs) will remain at the current level, , following a review by the Independent Remuneration Board of the Senedd, and will continue to be linked to annual changes to the average Welsh salaries for the coming term.
The Board has published its decisions for MS salaries and business and staffing costs for those elected from May next year, following an extensive, evidence-based review and consultation. The review concluded that most business costs remained appropriate, and will be linked to inflation for the new Senedd.
Dr Elizabeth Haywood, Chair of the Independent Remuneration Board of the Senedd, said:
"Members of the Senedd play a critically important role in our democracy and their pay should reflect their responsibilities. Following our detailed review, we have decided that there is no need to change the current salary level for Members in the next Senedd, and it will continue to be linked to annual changes to the average Welsh salaries published by ONS in November..
“Being a Member of the Senedd is a demanding and vitally important role. The business and staffing resources provided to Members helps them engage with and represent their communities, as well as undertake their parliamentary duties at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.
“The Board provides Members with reasonable resources to employ staff to support them to do their job; these staffing budgets will increase by 2.6% following a review of staff pay, where the Board benchmarked salaries against comparable roles in the Welsh jobs market.
“The provision of overnight accommodation has been reviewed after the change in constituency boundaries. This provision supports Members who represent constituencies across Wales to stay in Cardiff when on Senedd business, as well as support for Members who are disabled or who have caring responsibilities.
“In deciding on the appropriate business costs made available to Members, the Board remains committed to promoting and supporting diversity and equality. Our aim is to reduce barriers so that the Senedd can reflect Welsh society so that anyone, no matter their background or circumstances, can become a Member of the Senedd.
“Throughout all aspects of our work, the Board follows clear principles and has legal duties to make sure Members have adequate resources to do their work. We ensure decisions are informed and consider the wider financial situation, to represent value for money for the people of Wales.”
The budgetary assumptions for Member salaries and business and staffing support are set by the Senedd Commission, details of which were published in the Senedd Commission’s draft budget on 25 September.
The Board is currently working on simplifying the Determination, the document that sets out the Board’s decisions on salaries and business and staffing costs, to make it clearer and easier to understand, and will publish its draft Determination in December.