6 min read01 August
A majority of MPs’ staff are experiencing psychological distress as a result of their work, according to a new survey of employees working in Parliament and constituency offices.
An annual survey carried out by the MPs’ staff Wellness Working Group, shared with PoliticsHome, has shown a record level of distress experienced by MPs’ staff since the survey began in 2000.
From a record 627 staff responses, the survey found that 50.9 per cent of MPs’ staff working across both Parliament and constituency offices are experiencing psychological distress. This is the highest level recorded to date, including during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sixty-four per cent of respondents also reported difficulty meeting the demands of the job within expected timescales and 34 per cent said their working hours negatively affect their family relationships and friendships.
The survey found MPs’ staff reporting a ‘tsunami’ of casework, with offices struggling to cope with constituents’ increasingly complex demands.
Constituency caseworkers are also exposed to an increasing level of abuse, threats, traumatic disclosures and suicide-related casework. Two-thirds of respondents said they receive suicidal calls from members of the public, with one quarter being active suicide attempts.
Seventy-eight per cent experience threatening calls and communications.
The survey included disturbing examples of what some MPs’ staff have been sent by members of the public, such as exposed genitals, a bullet sent in the post, and a picture of a dead baby.
Some staff described how this had affected their own mental health, with one saying: “For a few months, I was very depressed after dealing with issues of child abuse and threats of suicide.
“I do not feel that MPs’ offices are given sufficient training or preparation on how to deal with this professionally or given a space to process this afterwards.”
One third of staff – 33 per cent – said they were considering leaving their roles, with survey respondents citing concerns around recruitment, retention and the loss of experienced staff across MPs’ offices.
Recommendations by the working group include increased funding for more caseworker posts, better communication with the public about what timeframes to expect a response, and work phones provided to all staff.
It also recommended compulsory training for staff in how to handle intimidatory physical and psychological threats.
The survey found disparities between Westminster and constituency-based staff on access to services and workplace standards.
I was very depressed after dealing with issues of child abuse and threats of suicide
One anonymous respondent described how a constituency-based colleague developed a work-related physical condition, but the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) refused to fund adaptive equipment or provide occupational therapy, while members’ services said a parliamentary colleague would have received this support.
“The disparity of support provision from Parliament between parly vs constituency staff is genuinely appalling,” the respondent said.
“Parliament is very Westminster-focused; constituency staff are often forgotten about.”
Levels of dissatisfaction with pay are at a five-year high, with 50 per cent rarely feeling that their pay matches the skills required for their role. The working group has recommended that IPSA reviews the offer to staff, including funding for pay.
Estelle Warhurst, executive committee member of the MPs’ staff Wellness Working Group, told PoliticsHome: “Over the last 10-15 years, there’s been a decrease in services out there for the general public, so increasingly people come to MPs’ offices when they’re in a situation and need some assistance.
“Funding has been cut for places like citizens’ advice bureaus and legal advice centres. So people will tend to come to an MP’s office.”
Having worked in an MPs’ constituency office for more than 20 years, Warhurst said that the ability to recruit staff was not keeping pace with the number of people approaching MPs with complex casework.
She said that as a result, services offered by MPs have been adapting to manage their time more efficiently. For example, some MPs do not hold face-to-face surgeries anymore, instead communicating via email or video call.
Warhurst said that although the House of Commons was not officially the employer of MPs’ staff – who are directly employed by the MPs themselves – the parliamentary authorities should still step in to make essential staff training compulsory.
She added that there should be more measures and checks put in place to prevent workplace bullying by MPs towards their staff.
“There should be mandatory training for MPs when they become an MP,” she said.
“They should have to enrol in something within the House to say that they understand how employment law works and how they should treat people.”
Parliament is very Westminster-focused; constituency staff are often forgotten about
Labour MP Josh Fenton-Glynn, who worked for various trade unions before being elected in 2024, said: “I hope it causes IPSA to reflect on the decision not to increase the allowance to let members take on extra staff.
“People are increasingly turning to MPs for support, and it’s right that we offer it.
“I’ve been involved in politics at different levels for over a decade and have seen the level to which social media has normalised abuse. While my office deals with hundreds of letters a week, we still have constituents take to social media when they’re unhappy with the reply. People forget there are humans at the other end and not just me.”
Fellow Labour MP Adam Thompson said he was “deeply concerned” about the findings.
“Like many MPs, my team have set up a collaborative environment of mutual support and have undertaken mental health first aid training, but I am always alert to the difficulties that they are facing,” he said.
“With an increasing demand for complex constituency casework, there is always room for increased caseworking capacity and further training for caseworkers.”
An IPSA spokesperson said: “We recognise the dedication of MPs and their staff and value the work of the Wellness Working Group. We have responded positively to their recommendations over the last few years and work closely with them, and with other staff representative groups, to ensure we understand how best we can support MPs’ staff.
“We have received feedback from some offices about the impact rising and increasingly complex casework is having on the wellbeing of MPs’ staff, and in response we have introduced additional, dedicated funding to support those offices facing particular pressures and a ring-fenced training and wellbeing budget. We also have a separate budget that exists to fund workplace adjustments for MPs’ staff in constituencies, as well as for MPs, volunteers, job applicants, or constituencies visiting the office or a surgery.
“We are currently consulting on the framework for setting MPs’ budgets, which seeks feedback on the principles that should guide our decisions and whether the framework remains appropriate. Our role is to balance the resources MPs and their staff need with public confidence in how those resources are used.”
