UK tax authority HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has opened a voluntary redundancy scheme in order to cut its staff levels by 1,980 across the United Kingdom. Management aims to implement cuts through voluntary departures.

1,500 jobs will be cut from personal taxes and compliance, while a further 480 will be cut in debt management and banking. The job cuts will begin in Northern Ireland (250) and Scotland (150).

HMRC asserted that the redundancies were necessary because more customers were choosing to do business online which reduced the need for staff on site.

As of October 2013, HMRC employed 37,044 staff worldwide. For previous restructurings in the UK see 2012, 2009, 2008a and 2008b. 

Update 16-10-2014: HMRC confirmed that it is to close its office in Newry, County Down. The closure of the office will result in 93 jobs being lost. Newry had been identified as a site which was being considered for closure when the job reduction measures were outlined in November 2013. The Newry office is one of 14 which will close by the end of 2015 as part of this round of restructuring.  In total the closure of the 14 offices will result in the loss of 453 jobs. HMRC have stated that they are committed to avoiding complusory redundancies and will seek to redeploy people where possible. However with the number of job losses which are happening, complusory redundancies cannot be ruled out.