Staff development fund

IPSA provides each MP with a staff development budget to ensure they can fulfil their responsibilities as good employers and to ensure staff can access relevant training and support that will help them be successful and effective in their roles.

This budget is intended to cover role-related training and support for mental health and wellbeing for each staff member, as well as one-off health and welfare costs such as eye tests or occupational health assessments.

Please note that while training costs can also come from the staffing and office costs budgets, and health and welfare costs can be funded through the staffing budget, MPs should use the staff development budget in the first instance.

Training

Funding is provided to cover the cost of training for staff members to support them in their parliamentary work. This can include:

• Office skills – first-aid training, fire safety training

• Dealing with handling difficult casework

• Training that covers a specific subject area that arises in policy work, correspondence or casework

• Training to support wellbeing at work such as vicarious trauma training

• Team building training

• Mental health first-aid training

• Any other training that is relevant to enable and support staff to carry out of their jobs effectively

Welfare and wellbeing

Funding can be provided to assist staff members to manage the pressures they may face in their role, including where they may be dealing with difficult casework. This could include:

• Support for dealing with work-related stress

• Support with vicarious trauma

• Supervision sessions with a counsellor to debrief on traumatic casework

• Support for resilience and positive mental wellbeing at work

• Tools to help staff manage stress and support mental wellbeing, which may include the use of apps

Health

Funding can also be provided for one-off health costs related to a staff member’s employment. This could include:

• Eye tests

• Glasses for display screen equipment

• Flu jabs

Where staff with disabilities need reasonable adjustments to their work environment, funding can be requested through a different process. See guidance on disability assistance funding.

Guidance updated on April 2026.

Funding is not provided for:

• Private healthcare or services that can be obtained through the NHS

• Activities related to a staff member’s pastimes outside of work, e.g. gym memberships, yoga classes

While social events like meals out or other leisure activities can be great for team building, they are not included in our definition of health, welfare and wellbeing and are not funded.

Guidance updated on April 2026.

Training

It is important for MPs to consider the parliamentary purpose of any training provided for staff members. Training provided should assist staff members in performing their duties and should not primarily be aimed at providing a personal benefit outside of their role.

Value for money should also be considered when requesting funding for training. Different training providers using different training methods should be considered in order to identify the most suitable and best-value option based on staff needs. Wherever possible, training that is provided by the House should be used rather than seeking funding for external providers. IPSA cannot recommend any training companies.

Health, welfare and wellbeing

MPs are accountable for their decisions and accept their responsibilities as employers, adhering to good employment practices including seeking expert advice as needed.

MPs should seek value for money when supporting the health, welfare and wellbeing of staff members, and ensure the primary purpose of any funding requests is to assist staff members with their parliamentary work. E.g. if a staff member requires glasses for display screen equipment, this should be a standard pair of glasses for use when required for screen work. Any additional costs based on preference – e.g. branded frames – should be funded by the staff member.

A new office manager has started in a constituency office. As part of building their skills for this role, the MP wants to provide fire safety training for them as this will be part of their responsibilities.

The new office manager finds three providers and recommends one, having considered value for money and making sure they provide the right service for their needs.

This would be a fundable cost from the staff development budget. There is evidence that this forms part of their parliamentary role and by having somebody trained in fire safety, the MP can demonstrate accountability of their responsibilities to be a good employer.

By considering different services and quotes in choosing the right service for the office manager, the MP can also demonstrate value for money.

A staff member has spoken to an MP about some traumatic casework they were working on that has negatively impacted their mental health, and they have requested some support.

Having spoken to the staff member, the MP agrees they may benefit from a set number of supervision sessions with a counsellor to debrief on the casework.

They engage with a couple of different providers to see what support they can offer and at what cost, and agree the right supplier with the staff member so they also feel comfortable.

This can be funded from the staff development budget.

As the employer, the MP is taking accountability by ensuring they adhere to good working practices including supporting their team. By talking to different provides and agreeing the right approach with the staff member as well as a set number of sessions, they are able to demonstrate value for money.

Where appropriate, the MP may wish to consider procuring group supervision sessions for their whole team.

See guidance on disability assistance funding.