Government annual salary bill climbs £124 million in five years

Total bill for 2024/25 just shy of £527 million

The annual government salary bill has increased by just under £125 million over the past five years.

The figures have been published by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, David Ashford, in response to a Tynwald Question for Written Answer from Douglas North MHK John Wannenburgh.

In the financial year 2020/21, the amount spent was £402,482,045.

Increasing year on year, the total for 2024/25 now stands at £526,964,000

Minister Ashford says the figures include all gross pay, including expenses, mileage and settlement payments, Employers National Insurance Contributions and Employers Pension Contributions.

The 2024/25 total, meanwhile, doesn't include any pay award arrears for that year, which have been paid last month.

The information has been taken from the PiP HR system and includes all who were paid through PiP. 

This includes staff in:

• Cabinet Office

• Clerk of Tynwald Office

• Communications & Utilities Regulatory Authority

• Coroners • Department of Education, Sport and Culture

• Department for Enterprise • Department of Environment Food and Agriculture

• Department of Health and Social Care

• Department of Home Affairs

• Department of Infrastructure

• Financial Intelligence Unit

• Financial Services Authority

• Gambling Supervision Commission

• General Registry

• Attorney General's Chambers

• High Court of Tynwald W-202501-1600

• Industrial Relations Service

• Information Commissioner

• Judiciary

• Manx Care

• Manx Heritage Foundation

• Manx National Heritage

• Public Sector Pensions Authority

• Treasury

• Veterans Welfare Service

Minister Ashford adds: 'The Treasury publish the Central Government Management Accounts which includes information on the employee costs for the central Government bodies. 

'The information in Central Government Management Accounts differs to the information from PiP which is on a cash accounting basis, in that it represents actual amounts paid during a period rather than being shown on an accruals basis, which is the basis for the Government accounts figures. 

'The information from PiP also includes payroll costs for some bodies that are not included in the Government accounts, such as Manx National Heritage. 

'The Post Office and Manx Utilities Authority data is not held on the PiP HR system and is, therefore excluded from the above information. 

'Some Statutory Boards and Government-owned companies, such as the Post Office and Manx Utilities Authority, publish their own Reports and Accounts and the employee costs information is not included in the Central Government Management Accounts.'

You can find a link to the written response HERE.