Year-end 2023-24 – monies owed

As we near the end of the 2023-24 financial year, please check that your IPSA work is up-to-date and that budget positions are as you’d expect.

Carrying out some checks before 31 March will help to reduce the risk of overspending.

As part of our four-part, last year we introduced a topic about Budget management.

The second topic we are covering to support you with your budget position is Monies owed. 

Why keeping on top of what money you owe IPSA is important

It is important to make repayments for any monies owed as soon as possible. This is so that you can ensure your budget and spending data are up-to-date, avoid payment card suspensions, and make sure your publication data is accurate.

Money owed to IPSA should be repaid 30 days from when the debt has been agreed i.e. when a claim has been marked Not claimed, to be repaid.

IPSA Online – Task Manager 

You will be notified of any money you owe to IPSA via the task manager function in IPSA Online. This will either be communicated to you directly, or to your proxy if you have a Business Costs proxy. This will be accompanied by an email explaining the context relating to the amount owed for repayment. 

IPSA Online allows you to return the task to IPSA if you do not think you owe the money for repayment or gives you three repayment options: salary deductions, direct payment, or offsetting. 

IPSA Online – Repayments Due Report 

On your IPSA Online dashboard, there is a report called "MPD Repayments Due" which shows all amounts currently owed to IPSA.

This includes lines reconciled using the "Not claimed, to be repaid" expense type on the payment card.

Please be aware that the Repayments Due report will only be updated once a repayment has been allocated by our Finance team. 

Repayment options 

There are three repayment options available to you if you have to repay money you owe IPSA.

  1. Direct Repayment: you can repay the money owed by BACS transfer. You will need to complete a Repayment Form and send this via email to info@theipsa.org.uk so the amount owed is allocated correctly. 

  2. Offsetting Against Future Claims: you can choose to offset the money owed against future claims. For example, if the MP owes £50 to IPSA and chose to offset this against a future claim, and then claimed for £100, the MP would be reimbursed £50. The other £50 would be used to repay the debt. 

  3. Salary Deductions: the MP can choose to have the money owed taken from their salary over several months. This is normally selected for higher-value amounts owed to IPSA. 

Payment Card – not claimed lines 

Your payment card should only be used for costs relating to the MP’s parliamentary work.#

If, however, you have used it to pay for something that is not allowable under the Scheme – and so which you cannot claim from IPSA – you must state in IPSA Online that it is "Not claimed, to be repaid".  

This is an explicit recognition that you consider this amount to be due for repayment to IPSA.

Repayment must be arranged within 30 days of reconciling the line.

Alternatively, if you wish to repay such lines by offsetting or through salary deductions, please email info@theipsa.org.uk or contact your Account Manager. 

Post-payment validation checks

Only 40% of claims are reviewed and validated at the point of submission, whereas 60% of claims are auto-approved. This is to ensure your claims are paid as quickly as possible and to prevent cash-flow issues. 

Claims are reviewed on a risk basis, but checks are also carried out post-payment to spot any duplicate claims or items claimed that do not fall within the rules of the Scheme.

This is why we sometimes contact you a couple of months after a claim has been made to ask for further details for repayment. 

Recovering deposit loans

MPs need to repay any rental deposit loans received from IPSA in full and ideally within 30 days of the lease agreement ending.

It is the MP’s responsibility to follow up with their landlord or the agents to recover their deposit.

If you are unable to repay the deposit loan to IPSA within 30 days of the lease agreement ending, contact your Account Manager.

Monies owed webinar 

For further guidance on understanding monies owed, you can watch our Monies Owed webinar.

If you would like to attend one of our live webinars, please sign up on Eventbrite.