Absent MEPs’ expenses - No show, no pay

Rather than be upset that members of the European Parliament might have their expenses cut by anything up to 50% because of poor attendance records, most people will wonder why they get any at all if they do not turn up for work.

MEPs get a daily subsistence allowance of €304 on top of a monthly stipend of €4,299 for “general expenditure” which includes office management costs but MEPs’ staff costs are paid separately. This supplements an annual salary of around €95,000.

Any MEP who does not take part in more than half of the votes in the plenary session is subject to a 50% cut to their daily subsistence allowance for that period.