PCS welcomes chancellor’s promise to recruit 5,000 HMRC staff

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) has welcomed chancellor Rachel Reeves’ promise to recruit 5,000 new compliance officers in a bid to tackle tax avoidance and evasion. 

In her speech at the Labour Party conference this week, Reeves said: “We will end the non-dom tax loopholes and we will crack down on tax avoidance and tax evasion. That is the difference that a Labour government will make.

“We are already delivering on that last promise to cut down on tax avoidance and tax evasion, strengthening the powers of HMRC, under the leadership of the exchequer secretary James Murray and recruiting 5,000 new tax compliance officers.”  

She added: “Because this government will not sit back and indulge the minority who avoid paying the taxes that they owe.”

It comes as the PCS had already requested early discussion with Revenue and Customers management about where these additional recruits will be brought in, and how they will be trained and deployed. 

Steve Swainston, PCS Revenue and Customs group secretary, said: “The announcement of additional staff to alleviate some of the workload pressure on members is welcomed by PCS and we are confident the new recruits will play a vital role in cutting tax avoidance. PCS has been calling for additional staff to close the almost £40bn tax gap of underpaid tax for many years. 

“We are seeking discussions with the employer to understand their plans and agree how they can be supported to both provide the best service to the public and to support our existing members.”