House of Commons: Members' Allowance Expenditure

House of Commons: Members' Allowance Expenditure

This page gives explanatory information for each column of the Members' allowances expenditure tables. Please note that for the allowance years 2004/05 and 2005/06, the breakdown of Members' travel allowance expenditure by mode of transport (columns 5a to 5e) is provided on separate tables.

Members' allowance expenditure table 2006/07
Members' allowance and travel breakdown tables for previous years

Explanatory Notes

Columns: 1. Cost of staying away from main home | 2. London Supplement | 3. Office running costs | 4. Staffing Allowance | 5. Members' Travel | 6. Members' Staff Travel | 7. Stationery | 8. Computer Equipment | 9. Staff cover and other Costs

Column 1: Cost of staying away from main home
The Additional Costs Allowance (cost of staying away from main home/ ACA) is paid to reimburse Members for necessary costs incurred when staying overnight away from their main home for the purpose of performing parliamentary duties. Inner London Members do not receive this allowance.

2006/07 ACA maximum of £22,110
2005/06 ACA maximum of £21,634
2004/05 ACA maximum of £20,902

Column 2: London Supplement
Inner London Members receive the London Supplement instead of the ACA. Outer London Members may choose between the ACA and the London Supplement. In 2004/05, Ministers who did not live in official accommodation and certain office holders automatically received the London Supplement with their salary in addition to ACA where eligible.

2006/07 London Supplement: £2,712
2005/06 London Supplement: £2,613
2004/05 London Supplement: £1,618

Column 3: Office running costs and Column 4: Staffing costs
These budgets support Members in undertaking their parliamentary and constituency work. Budget flexibilities (see below) between these allowances and between years mean that they should be considered together.

The Incidental Expenses Provision (IEP) can be used to meet the cost of: accommodation for office or surgery use; equipment and supplies for office or surgery; work commissioned or other services; and certain travel and communications. The Staffing Allowance is paid to enable Members to employ staff. Staff salaries are paid directly to staff by the House of Commons Department of Finance and Administration. In 2004/05, the Staffing Allowance varied according to the number of staff based in London. London Members automatically received the higher figure. The IEP can also be used to cover certain staff related costs.

Members are permitted to transfer funds from the IEP to the Staffing Allowance. In addition, up to 10% of their Staffing Allowance can be transferred to the IEP provided they run a constituency office.

Members are also allowed to carry forward unused funds in the IEP and Staffing Allowance from one allowance year to the next or to draw down an advance from the next year's budget. In both cases the Member's allowance limit will be increased or decreased accordingly. The carry forward/draw down facility is only permitted for specific purposes and requires prior approval by the Department of Finance and Administration.

2006/07 IEP maximum of £20,440
2005/06 IEP maximum of £20,000
2004/05 IEP maximum of £19,325

2006/07 Staffing Allowance maximum of £87,276
2005/06 Staffing Allowance maximum of £84,081
2004/05 Staffing Allowance between £66,458 - £77,534

Column 5: Members' travel
Members' travel entitlements cover the cost of travel on parliamentary business within the UK; European travel; and select committee travel to and from committee embarkation points (but not the cost of the visit itself). The allowance does not include travel on parliamentary delegation business. Certain elements of the travel allowances are taxable.

Column 5a Car
This column includes car or motorbike mileage undertaken in a vehicle that is owned by the Member and associated parking costs.

2006/07 and 2005/06 mileage rate: first 10,000 miles per year at the rate of 40p per mile, and over 10,000 at 25p per mile
2004/05 mileage rate: first 20,000 miles per year at the rate of 57.7p per mile, and over 20,000 at 26.6p per mile

Motorbike mileage rate: 24p per mile

Column 5b Third party vehicle mileage and rental
This column includes mileage undertaken in a vehicle not owned by the Member. This may include car hire, taxi fares, and other travel in a vehicle belonging to a third party. Claims for these journeys are made using the car mileage rates described above.

Column 5c Rail and Column 5d Air
These columns include the costs associated with travelling by rail (including tube) or air.

Column 5e Other Travel
This column includes mileage undertaken by bicycle and the cost associated with travelling by bus, ferry, and the cost of season tickets.

Bicycle mileage rate: 20p per mile

Column 5f European travel
Travel and subsistence costs for up to 3 visits per year to EU institutions, EU agencies, the national parliaments of EU member states, European Free Trade Association states, or candidate countries.

Column 6: Members' staff travel
Each Member is entitled to claim costs of up to a total of 12 return journeys for staff per year between Westminster and the constituency.

Column 7: Centrally purchased stationery
This column sets out the cost of stationery items ordered from a central supplier for use in direct connection with a Member’s parliamentary duties.

Column 7a: Postage associated with the use of centrally purchased stationery
This column sets out the cost of postage associated with the use of stationery with pre-paid postage ordered from the central supplier for use in direct connection with a Member’s parliamentary duties.

Column 8: Centrally provided computer equipment
This column sets out the cost of equipment supplied on loan to each Member. In 2006/07, the provision allowed Members two printers and a maximum of five computers, comprised of up to four desktop PCs and three laptops. For 2004/05 and 2005/06, two printers and up to four desktop PCs and one laptop were allowed. The figures show the asset value spread over a four-year period.

Column 9: Staff cover and other costs
This column sets out costs incurred from central budgets, including:

* a temporary secretarial allowance for additional help when Members’ staff are absent due to sickness or maternity leave; additional security costs for the office up to a maximum entitlement of £1,500;
* exceptional needs support which provides for short term additional help to Members whose constituencies have particular problems;
* a winding-up allowance (WUA) payable to defeated or retiring Members after the date on which they cease to be Members of Parliament. This covers the reimbursement of the cost of any work necessary, including staff and office costs, to conclude their parliamentary business after the date on which they cease to be Members of Parliament.

2006/07 WUA maximum of £35,905
2005/06 WUA maximum of £34,694
2004/05 WUA maximum of £32,286

Further information
The Green Book provides further details about parliamentary salaries, allowances and pensions. Additional information and links to information relating to House of Lords Members' allowances is available on the Members' Allowances for both Houses page.

Please note that the Communications Allowance came into effect during the 2007/08 financial year. The new capped regime for postage and stationery was also introduced at the same time. Costs will be reported in the autumn of 2008.
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Updated 09/11/2007 17:59