Ashley James's tweet goes viral as she asks why MPs can expense their utility bills
A tweet pointing out that MPs can claim their utility bills back on expenses has gone viral amidst a cost-of-living crisis where high energy bills are putting the squeeze on millions of people.
The amount of money MPs make is often under scrutiny as they earn much more than the average Brit, but there are arguments that they aren't paid enough to attract really top talent that goes to the private sector.
An MP's basic salary is £84,144 and they are allowed to claim expenses on a range of things from accommodation to travel to paying their staff, and they can also put utility bills on expenses too.
That is not an option open to the millions of Brits who live under their rule however much they get paid, they don't get to claim expenses on their utility bills and this apparent unfairness has got people talking.
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Taking to Twitter, Ashley James asked why MPs got to claim utility bills on expenses when they earned much more than the average Brit.
She wrote: "Genuine question: Why do MPs get their utility bills expensed?
"It seems mad to be that their salary comes from the public purse - much like NHS and other life saving services. But they get paid more than double *and* they get their bills and travel paid."
Plenty of people thought it was a really good question, and one that many would 'love to hear' an answer for.
One person said it was 'madness that they should be able to claim this' while another said they 'support high wages for MPs' but described being able to claim expenses on their utility bills as 'a joke'.
More commented that it was because MPs often needed to support two households, then drew a comparison with medical staff on rotating placements 'who also get, checks notes, nothing'.
Someone else was less bothered by it, saying 'at the end of the day the state is paying that bill regardless' as they'd just use their MPs salary to cover the costs.
A second person chipped in to agree, saying 'MP expenses are work expenses and should be treated as such' but then suggesting everyone should be able to put travel costs to and from work on expenses.
According to Full Fact, there's no upper limit on the amount of money MPs can claim towards paying their utility bills, but there are some rules to the whole thing.
MPs can only claim for bills at one of their properties, as many of them live in or near their constituency and have a place in London where they can stay when they're meant to be in parliament.
They also can't claim money if they're either a London based MP or they are a minister who gets their own residence that comes with the job.
Joe Harker