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Council senior pay and councillor allowances

Last updated 29 September 2026. Figures refresh every night. How each figure is worked out.

No national dataset covers council senior pay in England: each council prints it in its statement of accounts. This site has read 38 councils' accounts so far, of every type in all three nations. Scotland and Wales set a councillor's basic pay nationally: £25,982 in Scotland and £19,771 in Wales for 2025-26.

Key figures

38Councils whose accounts are read so far
1,627Staff paid £100,000 or more at those councils
£25,982Scottish councillor basic pay, 2025-26
£19,771Welsh councillor basic salary, 2025-26

Every council collected, side by side

Each figure is as the council printed it for the year shown. Councils count staff differently (some include schools, some senior officers listed separately); each council's page says which.

Chief executive remuneration, staff paid £100,000 or more and members’ allowances, by council
Council	Chief executive	Staff £100k+	Per 100,000 residents	Members’ allowances	Year
Aberdeen City Details for Aberdeen City	£188,684 (excl. pension)	23	10.0	£1,202,291	2024-25
Staff £100k+ 23 Per 100,000 residents 10.0 Members’ allowances £1,202,291 Year 2024-25
Barnet Details for Barnet	£262,345	71	17.4	£977,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 71 Per 100,000 residents 17.4 Members’ allowances £977,000 Year 2025-26
Birmingham Details for Birmingham	£397,097	78	6.6	£2,600,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 78 Per 100,000 residents 6.6 Members’ allowances £2,600,000 Year 2025-26
Brighton and Hove Details for Brighton and Hove	£240,776	20	7.0	£1,188,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 20 Per 100,000 residents 7.0 Members’ allowances £1,188,000 Year 2025-26
Bristol Details for Bristol	£237,281	14	2.8	£1,752,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 14 Per 100,000 residents 2.8 Members’ allowances £1,752,000 Year 2025-26
Cambridge Details for Cambridge	£177,055	0	0.0	£615,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 0 Per 100,000 residents 0.0 Members’ allowances £615,000 Year 2025-26
Camden Details for Camden	£278,025	72	33.2	£1,367,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 72 Per 100,000 residents 33.2 Members’ allowances £1,367,000 Year 2025-26
Cardiff Details for Cardiff	£248,491	61	16.0	£1,951,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 61 Per 100,000 residents 16.0 Members’ allowances £1,951,000 Year 2025-26
Cheltenham Details for Cheltenham	£157,959	1	0.8	£457,144	2024-25
Staff £100k+ 1 Per 100,000 residents 0.8 Members’ allowances £457,144 Year 2024-25
City of Edinburgh Details for City of Edinburgh	£213,914 (excl. pension)	56	10.5	£2,048,048	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 56 Per 100,000 residents 10.5 Members’ allowances £2,048,048 Year 2025-26
Cornwall Details for Cornwall	£247,796	26	4.5	£2,131,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 26 Per 100,000 residents 4.5 Members’ allowances £2,131,000 Year 2025-26
Croydon Details for Croydon	£219,667	44	10.7	£1,438,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 44 Per 100,000 residents 10.7 Members’ allowances £1,438,000 Year 2025-26
Essex County Council Details for Essex County Council	£296,253	81	5.1	£1,906,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 81 Per 100,000 residents 5.1 Members’ allowances £1,906,000 Year 2025-26
Exeter Details for Exeter	£171,446	0	0.0	£480,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 0 Per 100,000 residents 0.0 Members’ allowances £480,000 Year 2025-26
Fife Details for Fife	£207,853 (excl. pension)	39	10.4	£2,223,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 39 Per 100,000 residents 10.4 Members’ allowances £2,223,000 Year 2025-26
Glasgow City Details for Glasgow City	£220,321 (excl. pension)	60	9.2	£2,679,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 60 Per 100,000 residents 9.2 Members’ allowances £2,679,000 Year 2025-26
Hackney Details for Hackney	£249,412	96	36.1	£1,508,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 96 Per 100,000 residents 36.1 Members’ allowances £1,508,000 Year 2025-26
Hampshire County Council Details for Hampshire County Council	£193,773	97	6.7	£1,649,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 97 Per 100,000 residents 6.7 Members’ allowances £1,649,000 Year 2025-26
Highland Details for Highland	£194,531 (excl. pension)	23	9.7	£2,207,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 23 Per 100,000 residents 9.7 Members’ allowances £2,207,000 Year 2025-26
Kent County Council Details for Kent County Council	£285,842	110	6.7	£2,037,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 110 Per 100,000 residents 6.7 Members’ allowances £2,037,000 Year 2025-26
Lancashire County Council Details for Lancashire County Council	£301,874	70	5.4	£1,761,400	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 70 Per 100,000 residents 5.4 Members’ allowances £1,761,400 Year 2025-26
Leeds Details for Leeds	£233,069	51	6.1	£2,696,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 51 Per 100,000 residents 6.1 Members’ allowances £2,696,000 Year 2025-26
Leicester Details for Leicester	£210,266	19	5.0	£1,113,163	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 19 Per 100,000 residents 5.0 Members’ allowances £1,113,163 Year 2025-26
Liverpool Details for Liverpool	£241,241 (excl. pension)	50	9.8	£1,620,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 50 Per 100,000 residents 9.8 Members’ allowances £1,620,000 Year 2025-26
Manchester Details for Manchester	£273,961	55	9.4	£2,491,817	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 55 Per 100,000 residents 9.4 Members’ allowances £2,491,817 Year 2025-26
North Yorkshire Details for North Yorkshire	£244,575	33	5.2	£2,090,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 33 Per 100,000 residents 5.2 Members’ allowances £2,090,000 Year 2025-26
Norwich Details for Norwich	£179,092	3	2.1	£437,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 3 Per 100,000 residents 2.1 Members’ allowances £437,000 Year 2025-26
Nottingham Details for Nottingham	£234,826	16	4.9	£1,242,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 16 Per 100,000 residents 4.9 Members’ allowances £1,242,000 Year 2025-26
Oxford Details for Oxford	£197,217	6	3.6	£418,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 6 Per 100,000 residents 3.6 Members’ allowances £418,000 Year 2025-26
Plymouth Details for Plymouth	£245,269	10	3.7	£1,226,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 10 Per 100,000 residents 3.7 Members’ allowances £1,226,000 Year 2025-26
Rhondda Cynon Taf Details for Rhondda Cynon Taf	£200,000	23	9.5	£1,744,000	2024-25
Staff £100k+ 23 Per 100,000 residents 9.5 Members’ allowances £1,744,000 Year 2024-25
Sheffield Details for Sheffield	£268,692	24	4.1	£1,927,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 24 Per 100,000 residents 4.1 Members’ allowances £1,927,000 Year 2025-26
Surrey County Council Details for Surrey County Council	£285,897	67	5.3	£1,803,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 67 Per 100,000 residents 5.3 Members’ allowances £1,803,000 Year 2025-26
Swansea Details for Swansea	£201,891	18	7.2	£2,097,000	2024-25
Staff £100k+ 18 Per 100,000 residents 7.2 Members’ allowances £2,097,000 Year 2024-25
Tower Hamlets Details for Tower Hamlets	£286,502	73	21.8	£993,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 73 Per 100,000 residents 21.8 Members’ allowances £993,000 Year 2025-26
Westminster Details for Westminster	£287,121	100	47.1	£1,136,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 100 Per 100,000 residents 47.1 Members’ allowances £1,136,000 Year 2025-26
Wiltshire Details for Wiltshire	£271,139	26	4.9	£2,487,000	2025-26
Staff £100k+ 26 Per 100,000 residents 4.9 Members’ allowances £2,487,000 Year 2025-26
Wrexham Details for Wrexham	£213,951	11	8.0	£1,391,000	2024-25
Staff £100k+ 11 Per 100,000 residents 8.0 Members’ allowances £1,391,000 Year 2024-25

Staff paid £100,000 or more, per 100,000 residents

1. Westminster 47.1 100 staff
2. Hackney 36.1 96 staff
3. Camden 33.2 72 staff
4. Tower Hamlets 21.8 73 staff
5. Barnet 17.4 71 staff
6. Cardiff 16.0 61 staff
7. Croydon 10.7 44 staff
8. City of Edinburgh 10.5 56 staff
9. Fife 10.4 39 staff
10. Aberdeen City 10.0 23 staff
11. Liverpool 9.8 50 staff
12. Highland 9.7 23 staff
13. Rhondda Cynon Taf 9.5 23 staff
14. Manchester 9.4 55 staff
15. Glasgow City 9.2 60 staff
16. Wrexham 8.0 11 staff
17. Swansea 7.2 18 staff
18. Brighton and Hove 7.0 20 staff
19. Hampshire County Council 6.7 97 staff
20. Kent County Council 6.7 110 staff
21. Birmingham 6.6 78 staff
22. Leeds 6.1 51 staff
23. Lancashire County Council 5.4 70 staff
24. Surrey County Council 5.3 67 staff
25. North Yorkshire 5.2 33 staff
26. Essex County Council 5.1 81 staff
27. Leicester 5.0 19 staff
28. Wiltshire 4.9 26 staff
29. Nottingham 4.9 16 staff
30. Cornwall 4.5 26 staff
31. Sheffield 4.1 24 staff
32. Plymouth 3.7 10 staff
33. Oxford 3.6 6 staff
34. Bristol 2.8 14 staff
35. Norwich 2.1 3 staff
36. Cheltenham 0.8 1 staff
37. Cambridge 0.0 0 staff
38. Exeter 0.0 0 staff

Counts are our sums of each council’s printed pay bands from £100,000 up. Councils that run schools and social care (counties, unitaries, metropolitan and London boroughs) employ far more people than districts, so compare like with like.

Show as a table

Staff paid £100,000 or more, per 100,000 residents
Name	Per 100,000 residents
1. Westminster	47.1
2. Hackney	36.1
3. Camden	33.2
4. Tower Hamlets	21.8
5. Barnet	17.4
6. Cardiff	16.0
7. Croydon	10.7
8. City of Edinburgh	10.5
9. Fife	10.4
10. Aberdeen City	10.0
11. Liverpool	9.8
12. Highland	9.7
13. Rhondda Cynon Taf	9.5
14. Manchester	9.4
15. Glasgow City	9.2
16. Wrexham	8.0
17. Swansea	7.2
18. Brighton and Hove	7.0
19. Hampshire County Council	6.7
20. Kent County Council	6.7
21. Birmingham	6.6
22. Leeds	6.1
23. Lancashire County Council	5.4
24. Surrey County Council	5.3
25. North Yorkshire	5.2
26. Essex County Council	5.1
27. Leicester	5.0
28. Wiltshire	4.9
29. Nottingham	4.9
30. Cornwall	4.5
31. Sheffield	4.1
32. Plymouth	3.7
33. Oxford	3.6
34. Bristol	2.8
35. Norwich	2.1
36. Cheltenham	0.8
37. Cambridge	0.0
38. Exeter	0.0

What this data does and doesn't show

Figures are from each council's statement of accounts; most for 2024-25 are unaudited drafts, and each page says whether the accounts are draft or audited.
Pay bands count people by remuneration excluding employer pension contributions. Some councils include schools staff and some list senior officers separately; the counts are as printed.
A chief executive's figure for a year when the post changed hands covers part of a year and is not compared with the year before.
Allowances totals are as the council printed them; some include expenses and some do not.
Comparisons are with the other councils of the same type read so far, not a national figure, which is not published for England.

Every council collected, side by side

What this data does and doesn't show

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