HMRC invests £80 million to upgrade home‑office tech for remote workers

HM Revenue & Customs Under Fire for Spending Big on Remote‑Work Gear

There’s a new buzz in the tax‑world: HMRC is being called out for what critics claim is a “couch‑potato culture.” In the last three years, the department has shellled out a whopping £82.6 million to outfit its workforce with laptops, tablets, phones, and even desktops.

Itemised Breakdown of the Spending

Laptops: 88,362 units for £64.1 million
Tablets: 54,093 devices costing £7.9 million
Phones: 32,013 mobiles purchased for £10.1 million
Desktops: 782 machines spending a mere £477,000

So, the total top‑line figure stands at £82,608,959 for 175,250 pieces of tech.

Remote‑Work Trends at HMRC

According to data revealed by the Parliament Street think tank and Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, roughly 95 % of HMRC staff work from home at least once a week. That’s a jump from about a third back in 2019, and higher than the 92 % count during the first pandemic lockdown.

Voices on the Issue

Patrick Sullivan, Chairman of Parliament Street, says the department must stop “splashing our hard‑earned cash” on an “absurd remote‑working binge” and insists staff should be brought back into offices.

On the flip‑side, Sachin Agrawal from Zoho UK argues that remote working boosts productivity by letting employees collaborate anywhere. He suggests that a tidy tech rollout must be paired with training so workers can tap into new software capabilities fully.

Michael Thornton of Investigo warns that tech alone isn’t enough; the public sector needs AI and a solid digital talent pipeline for long‑term savings.

Meanwhile, Stuart Munton, Chief for Delivery at AND Digital, notes that flexible working cuts travel and office overheads, and sees tech investments as a cornerstone of a leaner public service.