HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has terminated the employment of 179 civil servants for gross misconduct so far this year, marking the highest number of such dismissals in at least five years.
The figure represents a 43 percent increase since 2020, according to data obtained by The Telegraph through a freedom of information request.
Gross misconduct, which can lead to immediate dismissal, encompasses serious offenses such as bullying, theft, intoxication, damage to company property, and gross negligence. At HMRC, this could also include the unlawful disclosure of sensitive taxpayer information or fraud involving the misuse of company systems.
Earlier in 2024, a high-profile case involved an HMRC worker being sentenced to two years and four months in prison for defrauding the taxpayer of £300,000 in child benefits. Tracy Ashbridge, the employee in question, falsely claimed that three of her children were disabled and submitted fraudulent tax credit claims for another 15 children, using details from her work computer to facilitate the crimes.
Customer service is at an “all-time low”
The 179 gross misconduct dismissals this year account for over half of the 321 total dismissals at HMRC, which has a workforce of over 65,000. In comparison, in 2020, only 28 percent (125) of the 441 dismissals were due to gross misconduct.
This wave of dismissals comes at a time when HMRC is struggling with customer service, described as being at an “all-time low,” as the agency faces challenges in managing a growing taxpayer population. With plans for increased funding to recruit additional staff, there is an emphasis on the importance of training new recruits to understand the high standards of conduct expected of them.
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.
