All MPs get the same standard expenses to cover the cost of doing the job. That’s because we’re expected to be in London Monday to Thursday every week and because we need an office, equipment and a small team of staff to help us with all the work.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, or IPSA, deals with this as an independent body separate from Parliament.

My Salary:

PSA has decided that I should be paid £81,932 per year (from April 2020) as your MP, and they put 10% of my salary into my pension pot (so £8,193 a year). As the Chair of the Business, Environment and Industrial Strategy Select Committee, I receive an additional £15,025 per year.

Before being elected as an MP, I worked as a lawyer specialising in technology and regulation. I now run a company called Office of Darren Jones Limited that I use to process grants and other expenses not funded through Parliament (normally because they are party political). In the past, through this company, I have completed small amounts of legal work for Kemp Little LLP to maintain my ‘practising certificate’ with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

Now that I chair the BEIS Select Committee, I have ended this contract so that I can balance the time demands of this additional role with my chief responsibilities as your constituency MP. My company accounts this year will include my final contract payments from Kemp Little LLP, and I declare this income in Parliament.

In addition to the above, I often get asked to complete surveys or to speak at events where I’ll be paid a fixed rate (often between £50 and £150). When I do this, I put this money into a separate account to pay for the printing costs of newsletters and annual reports to you. These payments are also declared to Parliament.

The full list of declared payments to Parliament can be found here.

Staff Budget - £177,550

The staffing budget is largely made up of payroll costs, which are paid directly to the staff I employ to assist me in carrying out my duties in Westminster and in Bristol North West. The budget covers all payroll costs (salaries, employers’ national insurance contributions and pension contributions). It also covers pooled staffing services, services commissioned from external organisations, staff training and expenses for volunteers. Staffing costs account for approximately three-quarters of the total spend by an MP on average.

I employ four people in Bristol (one full time and three part-time), two full-time researchers in Westminster and at certain times of the year provide paid internship opportunities too. When I have the budget capacity in a given year, I commission third-party services to get formal feedback from constituents about the quality of our service delivery to help highlight potential improvements.

Office Budget – £25,910

The office costs budget allows me to buy everything I need to run my office and constituency surgeries – this includes costs such as rent, business rates, telephone bills, equipment, contents insurance, my website and stationery.

I rent a serviced office for my staff in Bristol North West, which costs around £17,000 per year. Additional budget is also used to pay for the use of community buildings for surgeries and events.

London Budget – £33,880

The London budget covers the cost of accommodation in London. MPs are allowed to rent a base in London because we have to be in Westminster generally four days a week. This budget covers rent, utilities and council tax. MPs who have children get an additional budget so there’s enough room for families who travel between London and their constituencies as a family unit.

I rent a flat in East London (Zone2/3 border) and have enough rooms for my two children, as well as my wife and I, for when we’re in London together during the week. This means my accommodation costs will look high compared to, for example, other Bristol MPs, all of whom live by themselves when in London.

Bristol Budget – £0

I use my salary as an MP to pay for all of my living costs at my home in Bristol.

Travel Budget – £VARIABLE

In addition to the above budgets, my travel costs are covered for: (i) travel to and from Westminster; (ii) within Bristol North West whilst doing my job as an MP; and (iii) to other locations around the UK and/or Europe where visits are part of prior approved Parliamentary business.

As these costs vary depending on when I travel, and how often I travel, these costs are published on a quarterly basis by IPSA.

The travel budget is also available to staff (for travel between Bristol and Westminster, when required, and for travel costs associated with