Officials at Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have reported the loss of thousands of taxpayer-funded electronic devices over the past five years, according to recently released data. Between 2021 and 2026, a total of 2,945 mobile phones, 1,364 laptops or tablets, and 22 USB sticks have gone missing from the tax authority’s inventory.

On average, this amounts to roughly two devices lost or stolen every day. In particular, the majority of laptops reported missing last year were classified as stolen, with 298 out of 328 incidents falling into that category.

Anne Strickland of the TaxPayers’ Alliance criticized the scale of the losses, describing the situation as a "staggering catalogue of incompetence" that could potentially have cost taxpayers millions of pounds. Strickland contrasted HMRC’s extensive personal record-keeping demands on taxpayers with the department’s apparent inability to safeguard its own equipment.

In response, an HMRC spokesperson emphasized that the agency takes swift measures to mitigate any risks arising from lost or stolen devices. The spokesperson confirmed that all such devices are promptly deactivated to prevent unauthorized access and added that no incidents reported last year led to data breaches or affected customers.

The lost equipment raises concerns about the management and security protocols in place at one of the United Kingdom’s most critical government departments, which handles sensitive financial information from millions of taxpayers. Further scrutiny and improved asset tracking measures may be necessary to prevent future losses and protect confidential data.