It's a situation that often raises eyebrows: some UK civil servants earn more than the Prime Minister. As of 2025, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is entitled to a salary of £172,153. However, he has followed the example of recent predecessors and only takes £166,786. This figure, while substantial, is less than what a number of senior civil servants take home. This begs the question: why is this the case?

One key reason lies in the structure of civil service pay and the need to attract and retain highly skilled individuals. The Senior Civil Service (SCS) has different pay bands. As of April 1, 2025, these are: * SCS pay band 1: £81,000 - £130,000 * SCS pay band 2: £100,000 - £163,000 * SCS pay band 3: £130,000 - £209,000

Permanent secretaries can earn between £155,000 and £220,000. These ranges reflect the responsibilities and expertise required for these roles. To maintain consistent application across the SCS, departments should follow the guidelines when making awards. The government has accepted in full a 3.25 per cent across-the-board increase for the SCS.

The principle is that those with critical skills and responsibilities should be compensated accordingly, regardless of whether their pay exceeds that of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister's salary is a political matter, and it is often subject to restraint. There's considerable public scrutiny of political pay, and Prime Ministers may choose not to take the full salary to which they are entitled. This doesn't necessarily reflect the economic realities of attracting top talent to run complex government departments and agencies.

Furthermore, many highly paid civil servants possess specialized skills or manage very large and complex organizations. For example, the chief executive of HS2 earned £618,195. The chief executive of Network Rail earned £588,000. These positions require a level of expertise and experience that commands high salaries in both the public and private sectors. The government must compete with the private sector to attract qualified individuals.

It's also worth noting that the Prime Minister receives benefits in addition to their salary, such as the use of 10 Downing Street and Chequers. These benefits offset the difference in monetary compensation to some extent.

However, the disparity in pay can be a source of public debate. Some argue that it's inappropriate for unelected officials to earn more than the elected leader of the country. Concerns have been raised that ministerial responsibilities are being handed over to unelected officials while public costs continue to soar. Calls for greater transparency and accountability in public sector pay are common. The government has, in the past, published lists of civil servants earning above a certain threshold in the interest of transparency.

Ultimately, the higher salaries for some civil servants reflect a complex interplay of factors, including market forces, the need for specialized skills, and political considerations related to the Prime Minister's pay. Whether this system is "fair" is a matter of ongoing debate and depends on individual perspectives regarding the value of different roles and the priorities of government spending.