Details of requests for disability assistance made by MPs

Request

You specifically requested information relating to:

  • the number of requests for disability assistance made by MPs to IPSA from 2016-2019;

  • how many IPSA granted, and

  • how many were refused.


Response

IPSA holds the information you requested.

Under the MPs' Scheme of Business Costs and Expenses ('the Scheme'), Disability Assistance may be claimed by any MP for necessary additional expenditure incurred in the performance of an MP's parliamentary functions which is reasonably attributable to a disability of an MP, a staff member, a job applicant or constituents visiting the office or surgery.

This usually takes the form of necessary adjustments to an MP's office which are required as a result of an MP, or other individuals mentioned above, having a disability. This can include staffing costs, IT or other specialist equipment, office furniture, necessary adjustments to office premises, such as the installation of a ramp, or accommodation, or additional travel costs, among other things.

The Disability Assistance available under the Scheme covers specific costs incurred by the MP or their staff in the exercise of their parliamentary functions to ensure they are able to do their jobs. It does not cover personal costs incurred by the MP in their private life outside of Parliament and is not comparable to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payments (PIPs).

The full rules regarding Disability Assistance (and what it can cover) can be found at Chapter Ten of the Scheme.

From April 2015 to date, IPSA received 44 applications for disability funding. Of these, 27 were granted, one application was refused, and 16 have either been asked to supply more information and are, therefore, pending approval, or have been directed to an alternative source of funding.

Ref:
CAS-150445
Disclosure:
26 September 2019
Categories:
MPs' OFFICE COSTSDISABILITY ASSISTANCE
Exemptions Applied: