Even though the last are unpaid, they are widely regarded as being on the "first rung of the ministerial ladder". There is a commonly-observed convention in the British constitution that all government ministers, including the Prime Minister, be members of either the House of Commons or the House of Lords, although this is not always strictly observed.
Even though unpaid, these positions are considered foundational in ministerial careers. The British constitution generally mandates that all government ministers, including the Prime Minister, must belong to either the House of Commons or the House of Lords, although this rule is often not enforced rigorously.