MPs expenses details published

The first MPs expenses, for the new parliament, have been published. They cover the period from July to November 2024.

Newbury’s MP, Lee Dillon claimed a total of £36,043.23 in expenses for the period, which includes funds to rent a second home in London. This compares to these neighbouring MPs who also claim a second home in London to enable them to do their jobs: Kit Malthouse, MP for North West Hampshire claimed £39,590.46 and Danny Kruger, MP for East Wiltshire claimed £47,491.44.

Since the 2009 MP expenses scandal, such costs have been governed by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA). About second homes they say:

“MPs representing constituencies outside London spend a lot of time far away from home. Work in Westminster often involves long, unsociable hours, and commuting great distances every day is not a workable option for many MPs.

“To help with this, the Scheme of MPs’ Staffing and Business Costs offers non-London MPs the choice between staying in a hotel, renting accommodation, or claiming associated costs for a property they own.

“If an MP decides to use rented accommodation, they must register the property with us. We only pay accommodation costs once we have seen a contract, and we normally set up direct payments to the landlord.”

Regarding MPs with children (Lee Dillon MP has three children) IPSA say:

“We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to be an MP, and this includes those with caring responsibilities.

“As representatives of our democracy MPs should receive support in performing their role while caring for dependants.

“This is why we provide an uplift to the accommodation budget for MPs who are primary caregivers so that they have the space to stay together.”

Lee Dillon MP claimed £16,000 in rent for the period. This compares to £19,700 in rent claimed by Kit Malthouse MP in neighbouring North West Hampshire, and Danny Kruger’s rent of £17,500 in next door East Wiltshire.

Olivia Bailey MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire claimed a total of £5,070 in expenses, presumably because she is able to do her job without a second home in London.

MPs receive an annual salary of £91,346, plus expenses.

You can examine MPs expenses in full here.

Above: Lee Dillon MP official portrait UK Parliament with reduced resolution and additional grey canvass. See licence:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/