Bulletin, 21 March (pension consultation, constituency communication, evidence requirements, new training videos)
Date published: 21 March 2024
We hope you're keeping well.
Our phone lines will be closed on Friday 29 March and Monday 1 April due to bank holidays, and Friday 5 April due to staff training.
This week’s bulletin contains information about:
Pension consultation
Constituency communication
Evidence requirements 2024-25
New training videos
Pension consultation
We have launched a public consultation on the cost control mechanism within the MPs' pension scheme. The mechanism aims to control the cost of pension benefits to the taxpayer by ensuring they remain within a pre-determined upper and lower limit.
This is our third consultation since 2021 on the cost control mechanism. The changes we are proposing are:
To align with what is happening across the wider public sector pension schemes.
Introduce an economic check to align with the country’s longer-term economic outlook.
To include the relevant sections of the 2023 HM Treasury directions.
To clarify the implementation period of any changes to the contributions to the MPs’ pension scheme
Read the full Consultation on our website.
Constituency communication
As we approach the general election, you may be turning your attention to how best you can communicate with your constituents.
It is important to remember that IPSA funding cannot be used to support campaigning, either on your behalf if you are standing as a candidate at the election, to promote your party or other candidates, or to criticise a party or other candidates.
It may be helpful to consider the following principles:
The communication must be for a parliamentary purpose. For instance, you can distribute a leaflet to your constituents to inform them of upcoming surgeries or to update them on any casework you have been carrying out, provided the material is single-issue.
The communication must not be party-political. You will not be allowed to claim from IPSA for costs associated with communication material that promotes or criticises a political party.
The communication must not be self-promotional or campaigning in nature. For instance, you should not reference your plans to stand as a candidate or campaign for any policies you will enact if re-elected.
If you have any questions about whether your content complies with IPSA’s rules, please contact your IPSA Account Manager.
Evidence requirements 2024-25
To accompany the Scheme 2024-25 – which comes into force on 1 April 2024 – we have published a new version of our evidence requirements.
Our evidence requirements are designed to support all individuals who purchase goods and services with funding from IPSA, either via reimbursement, on the Payment Card or via another of our services.
IPSA will not pay claims without the appropriate evidence. If a claim doesn't have enough or the right information, we will return the claim to you and ask for more information.
The evidence requirements outline what we need for each type. They don't include claims from the security, disability or applied-for contingency budgets.
For more information, visit Evidence requirements.
New training videos
We have recently updated our training and development page with a series of recorded bitesize clips, covering multiple topics and processes to support you in performing tasks in IPSA Online.
For more information, visit Training and development.
Reminders and further information
Year-end 2023-24
With the end of the financial year approaching, we wanted to remind you of the support available to help you with the year-end process.
We have several resources on our website that help explain the process, including a recorded webinar outlining the important deadlines and key actions.
You can read this year's guidance, download a Year-end Form, and read the letter from our CEO Ian Todd by visiting Year-end 2023-24.
If you need to complete a Year-end Form, please submit it along with the necessary supporting evidence on IPSA Online, to info@theipsa.org.uk by 23:59 on Friday 19 April 2024.