Small Room To No Room: What Other Countries Give Their MPs vs What India Bestows | India News

Last Updated:August 13, 2025, 20:39 IST

In Delhi, newly built flats for MPs in the prestigious Lutyens Zone measure about 5,000 square feet where each unit has 10 rooms, including five bedrooms

In Delhi, newly built flats for MPs in the prestigious Lutyens Zone measure about 5,000 square feet. (PTI Photo)

Around the world, government housing for members of parliament varies greatly, from compact studio flats to no official accommodation at all. A recent look at international practices shows that MPs in India enjoy some of the largest and best-equipped residences among their peers.

In Delhi, newly built flats for MPs in the prestigious Lutyens Zone measure about 5,000 square feet. Each unit has ten rooms, including five bedrooms, multiple toilets, a kitchen, and modern amenities such as air-conditioning. These flats are provided without MPs having to arrange their own housing in the national capital.

However, Japan offers a stark contrast. Members of the National Diet in Tokyo’s Akasaka area live in 28-storey apartment complexes, where each flat is about 82 square metres (roughly 882 square feet) with three rooms – a living room, dining space, and kitchen. The rent, which MPs pay themselves, was increased three years ago from 92,000 yen to 124,652 yen per month.

Pakistan provides two-bedroom family suites to MPs in Islamabad, sized between 1,600 and 4,000 square feet. These are furnished with beds, sofas, tables, and basic facilities such as electricity and water. A nominal rent is charged under government rules.

Some countries do not provide any housing at all. In the United States, South Korea, Nepal, and China, MPs are given allowances instead. In the US, lawmakers arrange their own housing in Washington DC, while in South Korea and Nepal, MPs generally reside in their constituencies and travel to the capital when required. In China, members of the National People’s Congress spend most of their time in their home provinces, with government housing reserved only for the top leadership.

The United Kingdom, too, does not maintain permanent government housing for MPs. Instead, those whose primary residence is outside London can rent accommodation in the capital, with the cost reimbursed under an “accommodation budget”. Some MPs are provided small studio apartments or 1-2 bedroom flats near Parliament in special circumstances, usually for security or health reasons, but these average just 350-500 square feet.

In parts of Europe, arrangements differ again. Swedish MPs whose homes are outside Stockholm are provided a second residence in the city free of rent, or given a monthly housing allowance of €639 if they choose private accommodation. In Poland, MPs may stay in hotel-style residences at the Parliament, and if space runs out, they receive funds to rent elsewhere.

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