Bulletin, 19 July (Scheme update of MPs’ Staffing and Business Costs 2023-24)

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Scheme of MPs’ Staffing and Business Costs 2023-24

We have published an updated Scheme of MPs' Staffing and Business Costs for 2023-24. This is the sixteenth edition of the Scheme.

The Scheme sets out the rules, eligibility and budgets governing MPs’ business costs.

The changes to the Scheme clarify the eligibility rules for both the Loss of Office payments and the winding-up payments made to MPs, to ensure that they are fair and provide the appropriate support to MPs and their offices when leaving Parliament.

The changes to UK parliamentary constituency boundaries and the repeal of the Fixed Term Parliaments Act meant this needed to be looked at again.

The winding-up period has proven to be too short for winding up what can be complex office arrangements. IPSA has seen the issues for MPs’ staff who have often been contacted after the winding-up period to assist in finding receipts for business costs.

The winding-up period will now be four months from the date of the next general election. This additional time will allow most administrative tasks to be completed by former Members and enable IPSA to focus high-quality support to newly elected MPs and staff.

We have recognised the issues for MPs and MPs’ staff around general elections, as set out in a report by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons.

This updated version of the Scheme follows a public consultation on possible changes which ran from 13 April 2023 to 2 June 2023.

The new Scheme takes effect from today, 19 July 2023.

View the Scheme of MPs' Staffing and Business Costs 2023-23 on our website.

Read the guidance on changes to the Scheme of MPs’ Staffing and Business Costs 2023-24.

Please contact your IPSA account manager if you have any questions about the changes.