Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs)

MSPs can claim money back for "expenses" (costs).  These must be costs from carrying out their duties in Parliament or helping their constituents. 

Search MSP expense claims on our allowances website (opens in new tab)

The SPCB publishes a summary of all the MSP costs for a financial year.

Total Members’ expenditure for 2021-22 and 2020-21

In 2021-22 the total costs reimbursed to or paid on behalf of Members, or borne by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) on behalf of Members, was £22.241 million. This represented an increase of £5 million or 28.64% on the previous year’s corresponding figure of £17.289 million. 

Detailed breakdown of Scottish Parliament expenditure

Further details of individual Members’ expenses and categories of expense are provided in the MSP expenses section.

The following information is reported at an aggregate level only for data-protection considerations

• Salary, pension and national insurance contributions of Members’ employees in 2021-22 was £18,532,152 (2020-21: £13,891,973). This included winding-up costs for Members’ staff including Party Leaders’ staff of £2,354,255 in 2021-22 (2020-21: £4,993). Please note that a listing of all expenditure by Member under the capped Staff Cost Provision Scheme is published for 2021-22. This does not include costs such as Employers’ National Insurance Contributions, pensions or winding-up costs which are met by the SPCB as part of the Reimbursement of Members Expenses Scheme rather than allocated out to individual Members.
• Total expenditure on childcare vouchers for 2021-22 was £9,988 (2020-21: £16,674).
• Additional central costs met by the Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme not allocated out to individual Members for Local Office Security Improvements and other security arrangements and centrally organised training was £38,710 in 2021-22 (2020-21: £19,144). Total Members' own security related and disability provision expenditure for 2021-22 was £17,472 (2020-21: £12,639).

All other expenditure under the Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme is available in the Members’ Expenses Scheme section, with detail for individual Members.

Equipment, furniture and office supplies

There are arrangements in place for the central provision of equipment, furniture and office supplies to Members, the costs of which are not claimed against expenses. Equipment and furniture is procured for Members’ use but remains the property of the SPCB.

Stationery and postage provision

The Parliament agreed the new Reimbursement of Members Expenses Scheme on 2 March 2021 which came into effect on 6 May 2021. The new Scheme is as a result of two reviews carried out during Session 5, the outcomes of which are reflected below in the new Start Up and Engagement Provisions as well as the removal of the Surgery Advertising, Telecommunications and Postage and Stationery Provisions.

Expenses rates

The table below indicates expenses and provision limits for 2021-22 and the previous financial year. 

Pay range

The 2021-22 table below shows pay ranges for the generic job roles for Members’ staff.