HM Income and Customs (HMRC) has sacked 179 staff for gross misconduct in 2024, the best quantity in at the very least 5 years, in line with information obtained via a freedom of knowledge request.
This represents a 43% enhance from 2020 when 125 staff have been dismissed for comparable causes, accounting for simply 28% of all terminations on the time.
The latest dismissals, which now represent over half of the 321 terminations at HMRC this yr, replicate a firmer stance on disciplinary issues throughout the division, which employs over 65,000 employees. Gross misconduct encompasses critical breaches of conduct, akin to bullying, theft, intoxication, injury to firm property, gross negligence, or different actions that would hurt the organisation. Particular to HMRC, it may embody illegal disclosure of delicate taxpayer data or fraud utilizing authorities methods.
In a single notable case, a tax workplace employee was jailed for over two years after defrauding the taxpayer of £300,000 in baby profit by falsely claiming that three of her kids have been disabled and fabricating tax credit score claims for one more 15 kids, utilizing particulars accessed via her work pc system.
Civil servants can even face dismissal for unauthorised entry to authorities databases. As an example, Louise Kelly, a 20-year veteran of the Division for Work and Pensions (DWP), was dismissed after improperly looking for her neighbour’s tackle within the “Searchlight” database, which accommodates delicate monetary and well being data. Her dismissal was upheld by an employment tribunal, underscoring the significance of strong insurance policies to forestall misuse of such methods.
The DWP additionally reported 190 dismissals for gross misconduct in 2023-24, accounting for about 40% of all terminations, down from 221 the earlier yr.
Steve Sweetlove of accountancy agency RSM famous that whereas the rise in gross misconduct dismissals at HMRC may appear troubling, it may additionally point out a stricter method to upholding requirements of conduct. “Given the vital role HMRC staff play in dealing with taxpayer data and collecting revenues for the government, cases of gross negligence can represent a really serious issue, so it’s important that appropriate action is taken where necessary,” he mentioned.
Michael Newman, an employment legislation specialist at Leigh Day, added that gross misconduct is reserved for probably the most critical breaches and stays comparatively uncommon. He highlighted that what qualifies as gross misconduct can differ relying on the worker’s position, with fraud at HMRC being notably critical.
The rise in dismissals comes as HMRC faces important operational challenges, with customer support at what has been described as an “all-time low.” The division managed to reply solely 66% of buyer calls final yr, effectively under its goal of 85% and down from 71% in 2022-23. Rising demand for HMRC providers, pushed by frozen tax thresholds pulling extra taxpayers into larger charges, has compounded these points.
The Public Accounts Committee earlier this yr criticised HMRC’s service ranges, describing them because the worst they’ve ever been, following an “unprecedented” variety of complaints concerning the tax workplace’s efficiency. Moreover, ranges of bullying and harassment at HMRC are reported at 8%, whereas worker engagement is at 56%, the bottom within the civil service in comparison with a benchmark of 64%.
A authorities spokesman acknowledged the challenges however emphasised that every one massive organisations face occasional points with employees behaviour. “We take all allegations seriously to ensure we work in an inclusive environment that is friendly, tolerant and respectful,” the spokesman mentioned. “All our employees must ensure they follow our code of conduct alongside the civil service code, with breaches looked into and if necessary investigated, potentially resulting in dismissal.”
As HMRC prepares to obtain further funding for recruitment, the necessity for sturdy oversight and assist for brand new recruits will likely be essential in sustaining requirements and bettering general efficiency.
