You can search through MPs' expenditure using the Interactive Map or by searching for your MP.
MPs' Business Costs and Expenses
IPSA only pays the costs necessary for an MP to perform their parliamentary functions.
The rules governing what MPs can claim are contained within the Scheme of MPs' Business Costs and Expenses ('the Scheme').
Search for claims made by an MP
You can search for the costs of any MP using the ‘Interactive Map’ or ‘Your MP’ links on the left hand side.
The ‘Your MP’ link also allows you to download the data we have published for all MPs.
Budgets for 2017-18
Budget heading |
Area |
Annual budget |
Accommodation costs (for MPs claiming for rental payments) |
Renting in the London Area |
£22,760 |
Non-London Area |
£15,850 |
|
Accommodation costs – associated costs only (for MPs who own their own homes) |
N/A |
£8,850 |
Office costs |
London Area |
£26,850 |
Non-London Area |
£24,150 |
|
Staffing costs |
London Area |
£161,550 |
Non-London Area |
£150,900 |
|
Winding-up costs |
London Area |
£57,150 |
Non-London Area |
£53,950 |
|
Start-up supplement |
N/A |
£6,000 |
London Area Living Payment (LALP) |
For eligible MPs on a monthly basis |
£3,820 |
Additional London Area Living Payment |
For eligible MPs on a monthly basis |
£1,350 |
Accommodation costs - uplift for MPs with dependants (for MPs claiming for rent). Maximum of 3 uplifts allowed. |
Per eligible dependant per year |
£5,435 |
Please refer to the rules under the Scheme for full details about the budget and eligibility criteria.
The funds available to MPs are broken down into separate budgets:
- The staffing budget is largely made up of payroll costs, which are paid directly to the staff MPs employ to assist them in carrying out their duties in Westminster and the constituency. The budget covers all payroll costs (salaries, employers' national insurance contributions and pension contributions). It also covers pooled staffing services and expenses for volunteers. Staffing costs account for approximately three quarters of the total spend by an MP on average.
- The office costs budget allows MPs to buy everything they need to run their office and constituency surgeries – this includes costs such as rent, business rates, equipment and stationery.
- The travel and subsistence budget covers travel between the constituency and Westminster, travel within the constituency and elsewhere on parliamentary business. It also covers some limited hotel costs for MPs and their staff.
- The accommodation budget covers the cost of overnight accommodation in either London or the constituency. This can cover hotels, a rented property or utility bills etc on a property the MP owns. MPs who represent a constituency in the London Area are not entitled to claim from this budget.
- The start-up budget is provided to MPs in their first year of office, covering the costs incurred in starting up an office, such as buying office furniture.
- The winding-up budget covers all costs incurred in the two months after someone ceases to be an MP, to help them wind up their office e.g. payroll costs, removing furniture.
- There are also additional one off costs paid from the miscellaneous budget. This covers other parliamentary costs which are not covered by other parts of the rules but which have been approved by IPSA. It also covers any residential accommodation costs incurred in the two months after an MP has left Parliament.
Publication of MPs' claims
We publish these costs every two months, three months in arrears:
Publication date |
Covers claims processed during |
2nd Thursday of January |
August and September |
2nd Thursday of March |
October and November |
2nd Thursday of May |
December and January |
2nd Thursday of July |
February and March |
2nd Thursday of September |
April and May |
2nd Thursday of November |
June and July |
Staffing costs and a variety of other information are published annually. The 2016-17 annual data will be published following the end of the financial year.
Other published data
At the end of each financial year we publish annual data on MPs' expenditure, including data on security and disability costs.
MPs' Pay
The annual basic salary for all MPs is currently £77,379 (as of 1 April 2018).