First published May 2008 (updated with 08 / 09 figures May 2009)
Following the final rejection of the House of Commons Commission’s appeal against the Freedom of Information request for details of MPs Additional Costs Allowance claims, I publish my own for my property in North Kensington below.
The allowance, currently standing at some £23,000 per year is designed to compensate MPs for the additional cost of living away from their constituency home in order to be able to be present at Westminster. It can be spent on hotel bills; rent; mortgage interest and virtually any household expense, I have always taken the view that the allowance is so flexible in the way that it can be spent that, in effect, it amounts to a form of income and should be taxed as such.
|
08-09 |
07-08 |
06-07 |
05-06 |
04-05 |
Mortgage |
£8,539 |
£8,480 |
£7,832 |
£7,380 |
£5,958 |
Food |
£1,382 |
£1,671 |
£501 |
£3,330 |
£3,503 |
Utilities |
£602 |
£698 |
£727 |
£657 |
£646 |
Council Tax |
£1,235 |
£1,631 |
£1,332 |
£1,307 |
£1,237 |
Service Charge |
£828.07 |
£971 |
£1,802 |
£3,151 |
£2,210 |
Telephone |
£35.25 |
£134 |
£132 |
£96 |
£63 |
Cleaning |
£164 |
£588 |
£426 |
£334 |
|
Gardening |
|
|
£347 |
£100 |
|
Laundry |
|
£45 |
£55 |
£119 |
£104 |
TV Licence |
|
£135 |
£132 |
£127 |
£121 |
Insurance |
£183 |
£183 |
£166 |
£166 |
£166 |
Maintenance |
|
£1445.78 |
£7346 |
£124 |
£2,600 |
Total |
£12,786 |
£15,940 |
£20,797 |
£16,944 |
£16,608 |
Refunded |
|
|
£6,131 |
|
|
|
£12,786 |
£15,940 |
£14,666 |
£16,944 |
£16,608 |
Maintenance breaks down as follows:
07/08>£724.21 decorating; £643 plumbing repairs; £42 replacing broken windows; £35.98 TV antennae.
06/07>£6,131.56 new kitchen (refunded after moving in 2008); £388 plumbing; £411 tree surgery (undermining foundations); £414 carpet.
05/06>£60 plumbing; 117.50 locksmith
04/05>2 lamps £118; roof felt £17.33; light fitting £14. 26; Curtains and poles plus installation £2157; Polyfilla £2.35; shower hose £10.56; plumber £280 |
