The UK 's UK tax department has 2,000 fewer employees than it did at the EU referendum in 2016 , according to a Treasury minister . The fall in HM Revenue & Customs’ staff headcount, revealed in the Commons by a Treasury minister last week, will intensify concerns on the Conservative back benches about Britain’s preparations to implement a new customs regime after the post-Brexit transition period elapses at the end of 2020. That , despite the department ’s success in implementing post - Brexit customs reform and after Prime Minister Theresa May said last year that HMRC could hire as many as 5,000 more people . Remainers and Brexiters alike said the figures showed the government was unready for Brexit .
The UK 's UK tax department has 2,000 fewer employees than it did at the EU referendum in 2016 , according to a Treasury minister . That , despite the department ’s success in implementing post - Brexit customs reform and after Prime Minister Theresa May said last year that HMRC could hire as many as 5,000 more people . Remainers and Brexiters alike said the figures showed the government was unready for Brexit .