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Keir Starmer spent an additional £8,500 on redecorating his Downing Street apartment last year, bringing the total expenses since moving in to nearly £30,000. This occurred shortly before he was ousted as Prime Minister by a mutiny from his own MPs. The article details how previous prime ministers have used similar allowances for upkeep and furnishing of the residence, with an annual maximum allowance of £30,000 provided by taxpayers for maintenance costs.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-15,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In July 2024, Keir Starmer, after winning the general election, moved his family into the flat above No.11 Downing Street—a larger option often preferred by prime ministers over the No.10 apartment. However, within months, he faced a mutiny from Labour MPs and announced his resignation as PM in July 2025, with Andy Burnham taking over. Despite this short tenure, Starmer spent another £8,546 on refurbishing the flat last year, adding to the nearly £30,000 already spent during his first year there. The Cabinet Office's latest accounts revealed these expenses were for "routine redecoration and modernisation," bringing the total expenditure in 2024-25 to over £14,000 on refurbishment alone and an additional £15,442 on furniture. Premiers receive an allowance of up to £30,000 annually for upkeep, but Starmer's expenditures have raised eyebrows given his brief tenure in the position.
Written for “Keir Starmer Expenses Controversy” on 2026-09-15,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.35, but every quote it verified points right, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 10954: score contradicts its own evidence · logged 2026-09-15
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Keir Starmer splurged another £8,500 on his Downing Street apartment last year - shortly before being ousted.
asserted
Starmer → see → apartment
The taxpayer spending came on top of the near-£30,000 outlay from the ex-PM's first 12 months in the grace-and-favour flat.
asserted
spending → come → flat
The costs for 'routine redecoration and modernisation' were slipped out in the Cabinet Office's latest accounts.
asserted
costs → slip → accounts
Following his general election triumph in July 2024 the Labour leader and his family moved into the flat above No11, which is often preferred by PMs as it is larger than the No10 apartment.
asserted
it → follow → apartment
In 2024-25 some £14,319.20 was spent on refurbishment and £15,442.47 on furniture.
asserted
14,319.20 → spend → furniture
In the most recent financial year the accounts say that £8,546 went on 'refurbishment'.
asserted
8,546 → say → refurbishment
Following his general election triumph in July last year Keir Starmer and his family moved into the flat above No11, which is often preferred by PMs as it is larger than the No10 apartment
But within months Sir Keir was announcing his departure as PM after a mutiny by his own MPs, with Andy Burnham taking over in July.
asserted
Burnham → follow → July
Premiers get an allowance of up to £30,000 a year towards the upkeep of the residence.
asserted
Premiers → get → residence
They are given the choice of installing their own furniture or getting the Cabinet Office to purchase 'modest' fittings - which belong to the Government.
asserted
which → give → Government
The occupant of the No11 flat before Sir Keir was Jeremy Hunt, who paid to have new carpets from his own pocket.
asserted
who → pay → pocket
Rishi Sunak had opted to live above No10, which he fitted out at his own expense while serving as Chancellor.
asserted
he → opt → Chancellor
The allowance is a long-standing perk of living in the grace-and-favour residences.
asserted
allowance → stand → residences
The PM and Chancellor also do not have to pay bills for energy or other utilities.
asserted
PM → have → energy
Instead they are charged a 'benefit in kind' that is capped at 10 per cent of their ministerial salaries.
asserted
that → charge → salaries
That means they contribute around £3,000 to cover all utilities and other expenses, and the sum does not go up.
asserted
sum → mean → utilities
Sir Keir, who earned £169,000 as PM and an MP, also benefited from some of the lowest council tax rates in the country in Westminster.
asserted
who → earn → Westminster
A No10 spokesman said: 'These are routine annual accounts which are published transparently every year.
'
asserted
which → say → ?
Prime Ministers have long had access to an allowance of up to £30,000 to contribute towards the maintenance and furnishing of the official residence.
asserted
Ministers → have → residence
'In 2025-26, expenditure totalled £8,546 on refurbishment works.
asserted
expenditure → total → works
The Downing Street estate includes listed buildings and must be maintained to the appropriate standard.'
asserted
estate → include → standard
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