Fury as civil servants fake office visits while working from home | Politics | News
A growing row over hybrid working in Whitehall has erupted following claims that civil servants pretended to be in the office while working remotely, with some staff working for years without physically attending work. An investigation found whistleblowers were told staff routinely breached rules requiring at least three days in the office, while managers were told they had “no control” over remote workers. One insider described the offices on Fridays as “like Mary Celeste.”
Staff at HM Revenue and Customs are allegedly gaming attendance systems by connecting to office Wi-Fi from nearby car parks before heading home. Senior executives reportedly called the practice a “drive-in sign-in.” Internal data shows significant gaps in participation at HMRC. It found that 3,195 staff had not been to the office for six to 11 months, 992 had not been to the office for 12 to 23 months, and 182 staff had not been seen in person for two years or more. More than 70,500 people work at HMRC.
The ministry said some absences were related to illness, disability accommodations and alternative working arrangements.
But an officer said Daily Telegraph that in practice attendance at the office is often tokenistic. “It is common for many people to stay for a few hours and then disappear,” he said, adding that staff would still be recorded as being there for the day.
Another HMRC whistleblower said remote working habits have hardened since the pandemic, explaining: “You can go years without seeing certain colleagues,” he said.
Concerns about efficiency have been compounded by broader performance problems in government departments. HMRC has come under criticism for long call wait times, with around 44,000 taxpayers having their calls disconnected after waiting for more than an hour last year, according to a parliamentary report.
At the Land Registry Office, 200 staff have not been to the office for more than six months, 131 of whom have been absent for more than a year and 78 for more than two years. The agency is currently dealing with significant backlogs, with some services delayed by up to 18 months.
The Office for National Statistics has also faced scrutiny over extremely low participation rates in some offices; figures in one week show levels as low as 9%.
While union leaders argue flexibility should continue, critics say standards have collapsed since Covid-era working patterns were entrenched.
A government spokesman said a policy of a minimum 60 per cent office attendance remained in place and insisted the figures only represented a small number of staff, including those on leave or working in alternative roles. They added that managers have the power to impose disciplinary action when necessary.
