Payments
There are four kinds of allowances paid to Councillors in Northern Ireland
- Basic Allowance - Payable to all councillors in recognition of the time and expense commitment expected of them, and intended to cover incidental costs for example telephone costs, attendance at certain events. The current Basic Allowance is £4800 per councillor per annum.
- Attendance Allowance - Payable for those approved duties included in a council's scheme of allowances. The current rate is £22 flat rate, regardless of the number of meetings in any 24 hour period.
- Special responsibility Allowance - Payable for those special responsibilities included in a Council's scheme of allowances for example Mayor, Deputy Mayor, chairperson of the three main committees (vice chairperson and chairperson of subcommittees not included). The current rate is £2236.
- Travel and Subsistence Allowance - These allowances are a way of compensating councillors, for expenditure necessarily incurred when performing an approved duty. A summary of maximum rates can be seen in the undernoted table. All claims for subsistence are required to be supported by appropriate receipts relating to actual expenses incurred. No expenses claims should be submitted more than 3 months after the date on which expenditure was incurred.
| Summary Table of Subsistence Rates | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcar Allowances | |||
| 451-999cc | 1000-1199cc | 1199 upwards | |
| Per mile first 8500 miles | 39.7p | 43.1p | 54.4p |
| Per mile after 8500 miles | 12.1p | 12.0p | 14.3p |
| Allowances and Meal Charges | |||
| British Isles | London* | ||
| Overnight Stay - An absence involving an overnight stay only, from the usual place of abode | 118.80 | 135.25 | |
| Breakfast Allowance - payable if more than 4 hours away from normal place of residence or, where the district council permits, a lesser period, before 11am | 9.00 | 9.00 | |
| Lunch Allowance - payable more than 4 hours away from the normal place of residence or, where the district council permits, a lesser period, including the period between 12 noon and 2pm | 10.60 | 10.60 | |
| Tea Allowance - payable for more than 4 hours away from the normal place of residence or, where the district council permits, a lesser period, including the period between 3pm and 6pm | 3.70 | 3.70 | |
| Evening Meal Allowance - payable if more than 4 hours away from the normal place of residence or, where the district council permits, a lesser period, ending after 7pm | 16.45 | 16.45 | |
| Sub-total Meals | 39.75 | 39.75 | |
| Total Maximum Rates (absence of 24 hours) | 158.55 | 175.00 | |
| * London or any other place in the British Isles approved by the Department | |||
| Travel Overseas & Republic of Ireland | |||
| When travel overseas is required subsistence allowances are calculated taking into consideration the country of destination and the DOE Local Government Division Guidelines for Overseas Travelling and Subsistence Allowances | |||




