The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman confirmed Mr Johnson will receive the 2.7 per cent rise, insisting there is ‘no facility for it to be rejected’.
No10 admitted that Mr Johnson is not intending to offset the benefit by trimming the ministerial element of his pay – merely suggesting vaguely that he might opt to give some to charity.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) sparked anger by announcing earlier this month that MP salaries are going up to £84,144 – arguing that politicians worked harder than usual during the pandemic.
Peers will also see their tax-free daily ‘attendance allowance’ increase by the same proportion, to £332.
But campaigners have pointed out voters will be ‘furious’ that MPs’ pay is being hiked at the same time as a painful £12billion increase in national insurance takes effect, while energy bills and inflation are soaring.
Some MPs have condemned the increase and said they will give the additional money to charity.
Labour has said Sir Keir Starmer stands by his call for a freeze on MPs’ pay, but refused to be drawn on whether he will forgo the extra cash.
Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey previously urged people not to push for big pay rises, despite energy costs going through the roof and fears inflation will soar even further to 7.25 per cent in April.
However, he was slapped down by No10, with the PM’s spokesman saying it is not for the authorities to dictate how private companies should pay their workers.
Asked at lunchtime if Mr Johnson intends to accept the pay rise, his spokesman said it is ‘automatic’.
Told the PM could donate it to charity, the spokesman said: ‘I am not going to get into the sort of charitable donations the Prime Minister makes.
‘But it is true that he is not going to, in fact he is not able to turn down that pay rise which is independently judged by IPSA.’
The spokesman was told that Mr Johnson could opt to hand back the equivalent amount from his ministerial salary to ensure he does not benefit from the hike.
But the spokesman said: ‘The ministerial element of the Prime Minister’s salary has been frozen for some time now and will remain so.’
He added: ‘As I say, all ministers, this is a rise that is judged by IPSA and they are independent.
‘It is a judgement for them to make and there is no facility for it to be rejected by MPs.’
Mr Johnson is currently paid approximately £80,000 for his role as PM along with £81,932 for his role as an MP, giving him a combined annual salary of just over £160,000.
Announcing the pay rise for MPs earlier this month, IPSA chair Richard Lloyd said: ‘This is the first increase in pay for MPs in two years and follows the average of increases across the public sector last year. MPs play a vital role in our democracy and this is reflected in their pay.
‘It is right that MPs are paid fairly for the responsibility and the unseen work they do helping their constituents, which dramatically increased last year. For Parliament to reflect society, it is vital that people from all walks of life can be an MP.’
Labour backbencher Richard Burgon said: ‘This is the wrong decision when millions face a cost-of-living crisis. As previously promised, I will donate any extra money I get to foodbanks here in East Leeds.’
Fellow Labour MP Zarah Sultana said ‘ordinary people are facing a Tory cost-of-living crisis’ and she would be giving the extra money to food banks.
John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘Working households will be furious to see MPs’ pay go up while they face crippling tax hikes.
‘The current system of pegging politicians’ salaries to public sector pay only leads to rows over unpopular and unseemly rises.
‘Elected officials should show restraint and only accept rises when economic conditions allow.’
IPSA was given control of politicians’ salaries after the credit crunch, and the Commons watchdog has linked increases to changes in average public sector earnings for October.
The Office for National Statistics revealed in December that the figure was 2.7 per cent.
The House of Lords has committed to following the uprating used by the Commons. That means the daily allowance for peers – who do not usually receive a salary – will go up from £323 to £332.
A Lords spokesman said: ‘Any increase in House of Lords daily allowances is linked to Ipsa pay awards for MPs, which are themselves linked to wider public sector pay awards. This ensures the independence of any decisions about increases to House of Lords allowances.
‘The House of Lords daily allowance will consequentially rise by 2.7 per cent from 1 April 2022.
‘Members of the House of Lords are not paid a salary and are expected to meet all the costs of attending the House, including costs for staying away from home to attend the House, from the daily allowance.’
Although the rise is below inflation, it will likely heap pressure for police and other public sector workers to get significant settlements.
A poll for MailOnline last month suggested the move will be hugely unpopular with the public.
The Redfield & Wilton Strategies research found 64 per cent were opposed – with 45 per cent saying they felt strongly.
Just 16 per cent were in favour, including six per cent who strongly backed it going ahead.
The PM’s Official Spokesman said in January: ‘I would say we would expect restraint on matters like this given the current circumstances, but beyond that I think it’s right that we let IPSA set out their proposals as an independent body.’
Sir Keir said: ‘I think that MPs do not need a pay rise and we should all be saying that we don’t need that pay rise and it shouldn’t go ahead.
‘The mechanism is independent but I think it’s for me, as Leader of the Opposition, to say that I do not think we should have that pay rise.’
Last year there was an outcry after warping effects from the furlough scheme left MPs on track for a big increase while the economy was being hammered by the pandemic.
IPSA eventually abandoned the planned hike, and has said it will use ‘discretion’ to adjust the figure if necessary in the coming years – stressing that could be either upwards or downwards.
However, the ONS has suggested the impact of furlough and other factors have ‘largely worked their way out’ of inflation data.