Two MLAs have used up their annual £7,000 constituency office expenses allowance three months before the end of the financial year.
It comes amid rising energy bills during the cost-of-living crisis, which Stormont sources say has placed added pressure on MLA budgets for their constituency offices.
Under Assembly rules, MLAs can recover a maximum of £7,000 a year in "constituency office operating expenses", which includes utilities such as heating and electric.
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The allowance, which covers the 12-month period from April, is also used for other office costs including phone and internet bills.
The Assembly confirmed to Belfast Live that two of the 90 MLAs have already reached their £7,000 limit set out in the expenses rules determination.
It said that "once the maximum amount has been claimed no further funding is available".
The names of the MLAs have not been disclosed.
In a statement, an Assembly spokeswoman said: "As of Tuesday 17 January 2023, the Assembly is aware that two members have used up their constituency office expense allowances £7,000 limit.
"In order to assist members in budgeting for their office expenditure, the Assembly produces a monthly expenditure report that is issued to all members which details their expenditure to date against the funding available.
"Once a member has used up the £7,000 allowed for in the determination, the Assembly is unable to pay any invoices that exceed that amount."
The spokeswoman said new quarterly expenses figures are due to be published by the end of next month.
She said: "Information about the expenditure of members is published quarterly on the Assembly's website, six weeks after the end of the quarter.
"The figures for the quarter ending 31 December 2022 should be published by the end of February 2023."
According to Stormont sources, some MLAs have been privately discussing concerns over keeping within their constituency office budgets amid rising bills.
Last month, it emerged the Assembly has run up an electricity bill of almost £300,000 over the current financial year at a time when it has not been sitting.
Heating and lighting cost £297,924 for electricity and a further £98,306 for gas, the Sunday Life reported.
Although Stormont has not been fully functioning for almost a year, Parliament Buildings has continued to be used by MLAs, civil servants and others for various meeting and events.
Since January 1, MLA salaries were reduced by 27.5% to £37,337 due to Stormont's collapse.
The devolved institutions have not been fully functioning since last February when the DUP withdrew from power-sharing in protest against Brexit's Northern Ireland Protocol.
If a new Executive is not formed by January 19, the UK government assumes a legal responsibility to call a fresh Assembly election by April 13.
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