MPs are hurling criticisms at each other daily over the sky high cost of energy bills. But what they claim on their expenses to fund electricity, water and gas at their second homes varies wildly between them.

Official figures show that of the 19 MPs representing the Black Country, south Staffordshire and Wyre Forest, 12 claimed some form of reimbursement for utilities from the taxpayer over the course of a year.

The combined bill came to just over £10,000.

But while some claimed nothing at all towards the household bills, others claimed hundreds of pounds on expenses.

MPs, even those who claimed nothing, today said they needed to be able to cover the cost of running two homes in order to do their jobs.

They are expected to live within commuting distance of Westminster during the week and to be able to be in their constituencies for part of the time to help voters.

They used to be able to claim the cost of a mortgage on expenses but this was banned following the 2009 scandal concerning what some politicians were charging back to the taxpayer and they can now only receive the cost of rent or hotel bills as well as other household costs like council tax.

Meanwhile Labour has been calling for a freeze on energy prices while the Conservatives want to reduce green taxes with a view to encouraging suppliers to drop the costs. They are also urging people to switch suppliers.

Yet a look at the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority – Ipsa – website reveals MPs have very different costs to each other.

The figures show that in 2012/13 the Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant claimed £1,428.88 for electricity, gas and water.

Neither Stafford Tory Jeremy Lefroy nor Stone MP Bill Cash claimed anything for energy or water bills last year.

Cannock Chase's Aidan Burley claimed £424.09, his expenses show.

Yet West Bromwich West MP Adrian Bailey only claimed £148.50 all year for electricity. Wolverhampton South West Tory MP Paul Uppal claimed nothing for utilities because he uses a hotel when he is in London, rather than renting a second home.

West Bromwich East MP Tom Watson also submitted no expenses claims for utilities because the cost is covered in the rent for two rooms he uses in a house in the capital. Pat McFadden, MP for Wolverhampton South East, rents a house in Wolverhampton but his family lives in London. He claimed £525.40 on utilities last year.

Mr McFadden said: "It is not true to say that MPs don't pay their own energy bills. I pay the full cost of the energy bills and all other costs on my main family home from my salary in the same way as anyone else does. However for second homes which are necessary to do the job for MPs from outside London, MPs get an accommodation allowance which covers rent, council tax and utilities."

Stourbridge Conservative MP Margot James submitted no claims for electricity, gas or water according to Ipsa. She said: "The job of an MP whose constituency is some distance from Westminster and not a reasonable daily commute, requires many MPs to live in two places.

"The majority of people cannot afford two homes. If we decide that politics, and the job of an MP, should not be restricted to those with private wealth beyond a backbench MP's salary, then I am afraid we are going to have to fund modest second home expenses, which includes utility bills, for the majority of MPs."

Halesowen and Rowley Regis Conservative James Morris, who claimed £1,109.53 for utility bills, said: "I think that most people accept that MPs, like other workers who have to stay away from their main place of work, should have the costs of additional accommodation paid but expect their MPs to keep costs down."