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Should MPs be able to expense home insurance?

Journalist: Ruby Hinchliffe, The Telegraph

ended 10. January 2025

Hello,

We're writing a story about government ministers who have been expensing their home insurance. Most seem to expense it on houses that they own. The biggest home insurance claim over the past 6 six years by a single minister is £3,314. 

Should MPs be able to do this? Would love brokers' thoughts on it.

5 responses from the Newspage community

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Stephen Perkins
Managing Director at Yellow Brick Mortgages
If its a second property in London to be close to work for a minister who lives in their constituancy many miles away, then I think this is acceptable, but not for their main residence which they would be insuring no matter what job they had. Whether ministers should be able to claim for second homes and there not be some government provided accomodation for all ministers which may be cheaper for the tax payer is probably a different issue.
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Dariusz Karpowicz
Director at Albion Financial Advice
How utterly absurd to question the divine right of our esteemed parliamentarians to have their home insurance covered by the common folk's hard-earned pennies! After all, these noble souls simply couldn't be expected to pay £3,314 from their measly £86,584 salary.
Besides, wouldn't you feel dreadfully guilty if your MP had to choose between insuring their second home and purchasing that essential vintage port for their parliamentary office? The sheer emotional labour of representing constituents whilst simultaneously managing their property portfolio must be absolutely exhausting, poor dears.
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Rohit Kohli
Director at The Mortgage Stop
In the current economic climate, it's outrageous that MP's should be able to expense their home insurance, even on a second a property. Subsidised meals, cheap booze, expensed utilities and now home insurance - the life of an MP is so out of touch with reality that it's no wonder the economy is where it is.
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Iain Swatton
Director at Exemplar Financial Services
It's heartwarming to see our MPs so well-insured—after all, someone's got to keep the roof over their heads while the rest of us figure out how to afford ours. They’ll likely argue they’re just 'playing by the rules,' but when the rules let you expense your way through the cost-of-living crisis, it's clear they were written in a very different world.
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Oliver Cotterell
Managing Director at Windsor Hill Mortgages and Cotterell & Cotterell Commercial Finance
MPs expensing home insurance on properties they own raises questions about fairness and public trust. While it’s important for ministers to maintain secure homes, especially if used for official duties, claiming insurance costs on privately owned properties blurs the line between public and personal expenses. It’s critical to ensure transparency and ensure taxpayer funds are used appropriately. Clearer guidelines could help distinguish necessary expenses from those that should remain the responsibility of the individual, safeguarding accountability and public confidence.