Staff at HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have taken more than half a million sick days in each of the past three years, fuelling concerns over productivity and taxpayer service levels.
A Freedom of Information request revealed that HMRC employees were absent for 551,064 days between August 2024 and July 2025. This was down slightly from 565,244 the year before, but still higher than the 540,052 recorded between August 2022 and July 2023.
With a workforce of around 65,000, the figures equate to an average of eight sick days per employee each year. In total, 1.6 million days have been lost to sickness at HMRC over the past three years. Across the wider civil service, more than four million working days are lost annually, with absence rates rising by over 10 per cent in some departments.
Critics say the impact is being felt by taxpayers, who are already struggling to reach HMRC for help with increasingly complex rules. Last week, Jonathan Athow, the tax office’s director general of customer strategy and tax design, admitted to MPs that up to four million calls go unanswered every year.
Athow made the admission under questioning from Labour MP Liam Byrne, who highlighted that £46.8 billion in tax remains owed but uncollected. Asked how many calls are not being picked up, Athow replied: “Off the top of my head, we’re talking three, maybe three or four million calls potentially.”
The combination of high staff sickness and missed calls has prompted sharp criticism from business groups and opposition politicians.
Helen Whately, the shadow work and pensions secretary, described the figures as “shocking.”
“Far too many days are being lost to sick leave. This is unfair on taxpayers and damaging to productivity,” she said.
“People should only be signed off if they are genuinely too ill to work. Too many sick notes are handed out without proper care or consideration for what’s best for patients, employers and taxpayers.”
The TaxPayers’ Alliance also attacked what it described as a “sick note culture” across Whitehall. Policy chief Elliot Keck said:
“Millions of days are being lost, costing taxpayers a fortune and sapping productivity at a time when Britain can least afford it. Civil service chiefs need to get a grip and ensure staff deliver value for money, rather than treating time off as an extension of their holiday entitlement.”
Tax advisers warn that the impact is being felt by ordinary workers and small businesses seeking help. Seb Maley, chief executive of Qdos, said the unanswered calls left taxpayers “in the dark.”
“The complexity of the UK’s tax system makes clear, reliable advice indispensable. Without effective communication channels, many taxpayers are left to navigate unclear rules on their own. This can easily lead to mistakes and ultimately, non-compliance.”
The rise in absence mirrors wider problems in the UK workforce. Analysis by the Financial Times earlier this year showed civil servants are now taking more long-term sick leave than during the Covid crisis. NHS England figures show that more than 11 million sick notes were issued in 2022–23.
An HMRC spokesperson defended its record, insisting its sickness rates are “in line with the UK workforce average.”
“We successfully handle millions of customer queries every month, mostly online, and the Government is investing £500m in our digital services so more people can sort their tax affairs without having to wait on the phone.”
Despite that pledge, pressure is growing on the tax authority to improve service levels. Business groups warn that poor communication and rising sickness absences are undermining confidence in the system and risking further shortfalls in tax collection.
