Half HMRC staff at HQ still working from home

HALF of the staff at the taxman’s headquarters are still working from home despite complaints about poor customer service.

Just 53 per cent of civil servants who work at the prestigious offices in 100 Parliament Street were at their desks in an average week during the first three months of 2024, it was reported.

The figures come amid rising complaints about record waiting times for those wanting to speak to an adviser on the phone at HM Revenue and Customs.

For those who managed to get through, waiting times hit a record high of 25 minutes.

And a damning report in January by spending watchdog the National Audit Office found that HMRC had been getting its sums wrong on tax breaks.

In a further humiliation, it was forced into a U-turn last month over plans to push more customers online by closing its phone lines for almost six months a year. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt intervened and the idea was axed.

In the 12 months to March 22, just 48 per cent of civil servants at 100 Parliament Street were at their desks in an average week, the Daily Telegraph reported after analysing official data.

Attendance peaked at 62 per cent in the week beginning December 11.

Although the Parliament Street office is not used for handling calls, its attendance records have sparked concerns nonetheless.

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, a former business secretary, told the Daily Telegraph: ‘The lesson is obvious. HMRC is failing to deliver a service to the people, and they’re not going into work.

‘ They’re wasting taxpayers’ money because this is a Grade II star office space in London, which costs a significant amount of money. They should either be using 100 Parliament Street or they should move out.’ An HMRC spokesman said: ‘ We expect all office-based colleagues to now spend 60 per cent of their working time in the office. Hybrid working is part of our approach to being a modern and flexible employer.

‘Our colleagues are held to the same standards, whether they are working from an HMRC building or from home.’

According to the Telegraph analysis, although attendance peaked at 62 per cent in December, it plunged to 34 per cent in the first week of 2024.

The worst week for attendance was May 29 last year, with an average of 32 per cent of desks used.

‘Failing to deliver a service’

SHOCKING new figures have revealed that half of HMRC staff at its London headquarters are still not bothering to come into the office.

For such widespread home working to be acceptable, the public sector agency’s performance ought to have remained steady or improved. In fact, it has deteriorated.

Millions who need help with their tax affairs have experienced abysmal customer service. This causes huge financial anxiety.

Delivering the best possible service to taxpayers should be HMRC’s sole focus, not providing cushy working conditions for its pampered staff.

With Britain groaning under the highest tax burden since the war, it’s particularly egregious that officials tasked with collecting those revenues are shirking from home.