Andy Burnham says he will give 15% of his MP’s pay to local causes

Andy Burnham has said he will be donating 15% of his MP’s salary to local causes in his constituency of Makerfield.

An MP’s salary currently stands at £98,599 and a number of MPs donate all or part of their salary to charities and causes in the areas they represent.

Burnham, who is expected to replace Keir Starmer as Labour leader and prime minister next month in the absence of any challengers, made the announcement in a clip posted online.

As mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham was paid an annual salary of £118,267 and donated part of that to selected causes.

“One thing that I want to continue from my time as mayor of Greater Manchester is donating 15% of my salary,” he said. “I did that for nine years as mayor to tackle homelessness in Greater Manchester and I am going to carry it forward as MP for Makerfield but this time donating to worthy local causes at the heart of our communities.”

Burnham said he would be starting with the Stubshaw Cross community and sports club, a local venue that served as his campaign headquarters during the byelection in which he defeated Reform UK. It was formerly known as the Stubshaw Cross Labour club.

Other MPs who donate all or part of their salaries include Rupert Lowe, the former Reform UK MP who now leads his own Restore Britain party. He said after his election in 2024 that he would donate his net MP salary to charities and worthy causes in his constituency of Great Yarmouth.

Ellie Chowns, the Green MP for North Herefordshire, announced after her election that she would be donating a large part of her salary to charities. “I feel it’s important for me to live on an average income so that I can remain in touch with what life is like for ordinary people,” she wrote at the time.

As prime minister, Burnham could expect to claim a total salary of more than £174,039, a combination of his MP’s salary and a ministerial salary.

A number of other MPs from different parties are signed up though the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to make a donation through the Give As You Earn scheme.