MP staff hotels and subsistence

IPSA provides funding for the cost of an overnight hotel stay for MPs' staff where the staff member has travelled in support of the MP’s parliamentary functions, including for training, and it would be unreasonable for them to have to return to their own residence on the same day.

MPs’ staff and carers may also request funding for the cost of food and non-alcoholic drinks when staying overnight in line with the rules.

Evidence required for funding requests

You must retain and submit with funding requests any booking confirmations, invoices or receipts to show the dates and costs.

Guidance updated on January 2026.

IPSA does not provide funding for hotels and subsistence where the journey does not have a clear parliamentary purpose and there is a personal gain for a staff member.

Guidance updated on January 2026.

To meet our regulatory principles of parliamentary purpose and integrity, the main reason for the stay must have a parliamentary purpose and the stay should not provide any personal advantage. Value for money must be considered.

Hotel costs are requested under accommodation and are subject to nightly cost limits.

• When staying in a hotel in Europe, you can request funding up to £210 per night.

• When staying in the London area, you can request funding up to £230 per night.

• For hotel stays inside the UK but outside the London area, you can request funding up to £165 per night.

Where you are unable to find suitable accommodation with the funding limit, you will need to evidence that you made a reasonable effort to find a hotel within the limit beyond the Travel Office and your usual accommodation provider by providing screenshots of your search.

The limit for subsistence is £35 for each night a staff member has stayed away but the funding can cover purchases made during the day.

Guidance updated on January 2026.

An MP is holding an in-person meeting and training day in the Westminster office that staff based in their Scottish constituency office will also be required to attend. Staff members based in the constituency need to stay overnight due to the timings of the event and there are limited transport options to return home on the same day. They have searched for different hotels rates, found hotels within the cost limits and chosen hotel rooms that provide the best value for money. They would like to request funding for an overnight stay and subsistence.

As staff members can show there is a parliamentary purpose to the journey, travelling home the same day is not viable and value for money on hotels has been considered, funding is allowed.

The MP also arranges for light refreshments such as sandwiches to be available for all staff while they are undertaking the meeting and training in the office.

As staff members are there for a parliamentary and work purpose, they are not undertaking their regular roles, some staff members have travelled from the constituency office and the MP had also considered value for money when arranging these refreshments, funding is allowed.

Hotel

A staff member usually based in the Westminster office is visiting friends in Manchester close to the constituency office. They are wanting to stay in a hotel overnight and then work from the Manchester office the following day before travelling back to London. They would like to claim for a one-night hotel stay within the funding limits.

The reason for the stay is for personal reasons and there is no parliamentary purpose for working from the office, therefore funding is not allowed.

Subsistence

An MP is holding an in-person meeting in the Westminster office that staff based in their Scottish constituency and the Westminster office will all be required to attend. The MP and staff members want to attend a meal together at a restaurant after the meeting to socialise while they are all together and request funding for the subsistence.

The meal is for social purposes, it is not modest refreshments and not value for money, therefore funding is not allowed.

Is the main and underlying reason for this stay only for parliamentary purposes?

Is the hotel selected the best value for money?

Have travel options been considered before requesting an overnight stay?

If you are not able to find a hotel within the cost limit, you may be able to request the additional cost through exceptional funding.

If you are unsure how activities or spending aligns with IPSA's regulatory principles, please contact your account manager or payroll officer.