How much do MEPs cost?
With the controversy over MEPs' expenses returning to the news, we've received a few queries along the lines of 'how much can MEPs claim in total?'
We've put together the following list of the European Parliament allowances, together with salary/ pension figures. Both salary and first pension are linked to the UK rates, the rest are EU-wide:
Salary = £61,820
First pension (after ten years service) £13,750
EU Parliament contributions to second pension: £18,500
Staff = £148 761
Office costs “general expenses” = £37,881
Daily subsistence (180 days) £50,220
Travel excess = £10,000
Travel allowance = £2,316
TOTAL = £343,248 a year
They also get life and accident insurance, and private healthcare for them and their family.
There are 785 MEPs - salaries and pensions vary quite a bit depending on nationality (eg. Italian MEPs get paid far more than their British counterparts, whilst Hungarian deputies get much less), but to give a fairly rough ball-park estimate based on the UK entitlements, the total bill for the European Parliament would be £270m or €340m.
Labels: european parliament, MEPs, transparency
Trouble is most of them aren't even worth their salary let alone all the expenses added on!
...on GBP5000 a month why do they need travel expenses? That's they're job, if they can't afford to get there they should look for another job - everyone else has to.
...and the 'daily subsistence' is obscene - that's 140 quid a dayeven if they wroked 365 days a year!!!
...am I right in thinking they also get another bonus just for showing up and doing the minimum?