What is the official salary of the British prime minister? It’s a question that is more difficult to answer than it should be.

The PM’s salary is made up of 2 parts: his MP salary and an additional prime ministerial salary.

The first part of the equation is clear. British MPs in the House of Commons earn £93,904, as of April 2025.

The second part is a bit more tricky. The PM is entitled to an additional ministerial salary of £80,807, according to documents published by the UK Cabinet Office. However, according to those documents, the “claimed” portion of the additional salary is £75,440 – a figure that has remained the same since at least 2016.

On that basis, the PM’s salary can be either £174,711 (£93,904 + £80,807) or £169,344 (£93,904 + £75,440), depending on whether you choose to include the full ministerial salary entitlement or only the “claimed” portion.

PoliticalSalaries.com has chosen to use the lower figure, as that appears to be the most accurate representation of what Keir Starmer actually earns from the role.

But don’t be surprised if you see it quoted elsewhere as £174,711, which is also a valid interpretation of his “official” salary.

Image credit: Simon Dawson / 10 Downing Street / Flickr (Creative Commons)