The information below covers the Additional Costs Allowance (or ACA - which covers second homes costs for MPs), Incidental Expenditure Provision (or IEP -  which is an office costs allowance) and Communications Allowance (or CA - which pays for surgery cards and annual reports).

As I wrote on this website several weeks ago, the Additional Costs Allowance is used to pay for my home in Wolverhampton.  In 2005-6 this was a rented home and since 2006-7 it has been for the home I purchased in the constituency in 2006. The Incidental Expenses Allowance is used to pay rent, rates and other bills for the constituency office at the Crescent in Bilston (and some costs such as stationary, toner supplies and so on in the House of Commons office).

The areas blocked out in black are not to hide expenses or receipts but are to cover things like home addresses, bank account details, names of suppliers and security information. As you can see, the actual amounts involved are always disclosed.

I have had one year where the full amount of ACA was claimed.  This was in the year 2006-7 when I moved into a newly built constituency home and claimed for a number of one-off items such as furniture and fittings.  Since then the amount I claim has fallen considerably and for the past two years has been less than two thirds of the allowance which was available.

In addition to these budgets MPs also receive an allowance to pay for staff costs, as well as postage and reimbursement of travel between London and their constituency.