What MP actually can claim for

The British members of parliament now have their expense records (heavily censored) published online at http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/.

You may find records on Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, and the notorious Kitty Ussher, who mentioned in her comment for allowing Parliament to pay for refurbishing her home and quote, “Most of the ceilings have Artex coverings. It could be a matter of taste, but this counts as ‘dilapidations’ in my book! Can the ACA pay for the ceilings to be plastered and repainted?”

If you look at Kitty Ussher’s monthly receipts, you will find monthly expenses quite above the average for paying for “expenses wholly, exclusively, and necessarily incurred to enable you to stay overnight away from your only or main home for the purpose of performing your Parliamentary duties.” As you might have read, Kitty put most of these expenses into her second house. Below is a screenshot of one month’s expenses, although much is censored, one can read almost 1,000 pounds for carpet.

A sample of one of Kitty's monthly signoffs