Angela Rayner, the housing secretary, has stated she will not repay a severance payment of £16,876 she received upon leaving government last September. Rayner, who has since returned to a ministerial role, told BBC Radio 5 Live that the payment was given to her after she had worked in government for a period and then was out of office for nearly a year.
"No, my severance payment was given to me at the time, I had worked in government for a period of time and then I came out of government for just under a year," Rayner said in her first interview since her return to the cabinet. "I will be delivering in government again."
The payment, equivalent to 25% of the annual ministerial salary, is typically provided to ministers upon leaving office. However, departing ministers over 65 or those reappointed within three weeks are generally not eligible to receive it.
The 2025/26 accounts for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government recorded the severance payment made to Rayner. The Conservatives had previously criticized Rayner, stating she "quit in disgrace and took a £17k payout" last year and questioned whether she would return the money upon regaining her position.
Rayner's departure from her previous role followed an investigation by the prime minister's ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus. While Magnus concluded she had acted with integrity, he found she had breached the ministerial code by failing to seek expert tax advice when purchasing a property, despite receiving legal counsel. In May, Rayner settled £40,000 in unpaid stamp duty with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) following an investigation. She stated at the time that she had been "exonerated" of accusations of deliberately avoiding tax.
Rayner described the past year as a "really difficult" period for her and her family, expressing a desire to avoid letting people down and to advocate for them. She also indicated a desire to continue her work in government, citing "unfinished business" in areas such as council house construction and support for local government. She mentioned investment in social and affordable housing, including £39 billion in grant funding, as a priority.