**Expenses Update**

A short while back, I mentioned that MPs are able to claim expenses of up to £250 without the need for a receipt. Perhaps what wasn't clear is that this is per item and these things can include household* goods such as fridges and toasters, office equipment, and travel costs.

So while the MPs gallantly accepted a "meagre" 1.9% pay increase (it goes up from £60 277 to £61 820), they can still, in theory, claim up to a maximum of around £43 000 in a single year without needing to explain what it was spent on.



*I am hugely puzzled by this "perk"- why would an MP need to claim for a microwave, waffle iron, curling tongs, blender or tumble drier in the course of their duties?