Members of parliament can claim for various costs to allow them to fulfil their duties at Westminster and in their constituencies. But not all expenses are worth thousands or even hundreds of pounds.
From file dividers to washing up liquid, figures published by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) show how MPs have made some very small individual claims this year.
After 2009’s expenses scandal IPSA became responsible for the regulation and payment of expenses to MPs. It’s also responsible for setting MPs’ salaries, which currently sit at a basic rate of £84,144.
An MP can claim for office costs, staffing, accommodation and travel but although they can’t claim for personal costs like food and drink in a normal working day, they can claim for subsistence costs if they’re travelling for work. IPSA says all claims must follow their four fundamental principles: expenditure only for parliamentary purposes; a regard for value for money; accountability with managing budgets and adherence to the MPs’ Code of Conduct.
Related:
Total business cost data is not yet available for the 2022/23 period, however individual claims are regularly updated on the IPSA website. NationalWorld has crunched the figures to reveal some of the smallest individual claims made by MPs in the past year.
9. Parcel bag
Craig Williams, the Conservative MP for Montgomeryshire, claimed 89p for the purchase of a parcel bag for postage of documentation to the Department of Work and Pensions. | Alexandr Bognat - stock.adobe.co
10. £1.58 for string
Andrea Jenkyns, the Conservative MP for Morley and Outwood, claimed £1.58 for string for her constituency office. | jayfish - stock.adobe.com
11. £1.25 for file dividers
Kevan Jones, the Labour MP for North Durham, claimed £1.25 for file dividers for his constituency office. | Feng Yu - stock.adobe.com
12. £1.75 for a notepad
Steve Baker, the Conservative MP for Wycombe, claimed £1.75 for a notepad to record constituency messages. | xy - stock.adobe.com